Abstract
Purpose: To determine the pattern of customers’ viewpoints regarding their satisfaction with the quality of services of community pharmacies in Vietnam.Methods: Q-methodology was applied to identify distinct patterns of subjective perception on community pharmacy services. A Q-sample of 40 statements was developed following a review of the literature. The study recruited 144 customers from 40 pharmacies in four Vietnamese cities. They were required to sort 40 statements into a quasi-normal distribution grid according to their degree of satisfaction with the quality of community pharmacy services. Data collected were analyzed using PQ Method software version 2.35.Results: This study identified three factors indicating three patterns of perspectives concerning customer satisfaction on the quality of community pharmacy services: Factor 1: accessibility of the community pharmacy; Factor 2: availability of medication consultations; Factor 3: accessibility of medicines.Conclusion: There are three main patterns of viewpoints concerning customer satisfaction with community pharmacy services in Vietnam. The findings should contribute to improving the understanding of pharmaceutical policymakers and pharmacy staff regarding customer satisfaction with current pharmaceutical services.Keywords: Community pharmacy, Customer satisfaction, Q-methodology, Pharmaceutical policymakers, Pharmacy staff
Highlights
The community pharmacy is an integral component of the primary health care system that improves and enhances the public health of the community [1]
There are some limitations with regard to the privacy of the patients’ medication consultations, as well as the availability of the full range of necessary medicines and the fairness of their prices at community pharmacies, which need to be overcome
Similar findings from a study conducted in the United Arab Emirates showed that pharmacy customer satisfaction with medication prices was at a moderate level [36]
Summary
The community pharmacy is an integral component of the primary health care system that improves and enhances the public health of the community [1]. Community pharmacy is viewed as a retail channel that performs the primary function of distributing quality-assured medicines to patients [2]. In recent years, the role of the community pharmacy has shifted to patientoriented care in place of medicine-centered services [3], which contributes to ensuring rational medication use and monitoring chronic patients [4,5]. Community pharmacies are considered a replacement of other healthcare services [8]. Customers often choose community pharmacies for self-medication [9]. In Vietnam, the majority of patients prefer to go to community pharmacies for medicine counseling, getting prescriptions, or self-medication [10,11], resulting in pharmacies becoming the most used services, accounting for two-thirds of all healthcare services [11]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
