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Pharmacy patronage: identifying key factors in the decision making process using the determinant attribute approach.

OBJECTIVE
To use the determinant attribute approach, a research method commonly used in marketing to identify the wants of various consumer groups, to evaluate consumer pharmacy choice when having a prescription order filled in different pharmacy settings.


DESIGN
Cross sectional.


SETTING
Community independent, grocery store, community chain, and discount store pharmacies in Georgia between April 2005 and April 2006.


PARTICIPANTS
Convenience sample of adult pharmacy consumers (n = 175).


INTERVENTION
Survey measuring consumer preferences on 26 attributes encompassing general pharmacy site features (16 items), pharmacist characteristics (5 items), and pharmacy staff characteristics (5 items).


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
26 potential determinant attributes for pharmacy selection.


RESULTS
175 consumers were surveyed at community independent (n = 81), grocery store (n = 44), community chain (n = 27), or discount store (n = 23) pharmacy settings. The attributes of pharmacists and staff at all four pharmacy settings were shown to affect pharmacy patronage motives, although consumers frequenting non-community independent pharmacies were also motivated by secondary convenience factors, e.g., hours of operation, and prescription coverage.


CONCLUSION
Most consumers do not perceive pharmacies as merely prescription-distribution centers that vary only by convenience. Prescriptions are not just another economic good. Pharmacy personnel influence pharmacy selection; therefore, optimal staff selection and training is likely the greatest asset and most important investment for ensuring pharmacy success.