Patient Satisfaction and Their Willingness to Pay for a Pharmacist Counseling Session in Hospital and Community Pharmacies in Saudi Healthcare Settings.

Atta Abbas Naqvi,Dhfer Mahdi Alshayban,Muhammad Shahid Iqbal,Mohamed Raafat,Muhab Alali,Ali Almulla,Mohammed Almaskeen,Abdul Haseeb,Abdullah Alqaroos,Md Ashraful Islam

doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.00138

Abstract

ObjectivePatient satisfaction is an indicator for quality of healthcare service and is sometimes linked to patients’ willingness to pay. Willingness to pay is an economic method for estimating patient’s inclination for a service in monetary terms. This study assessed satisfaction of patients from pharmacist counseling service and estimated their willing to pay for the same.MethodsA month-long survey was conducted in community and hospital pharmacies located in Khobar, Dammam, and Qatif cities of Saudi Arabia, using Arabic version of Patient Satisfaction Feedback (PSF) questionnaire that measured satisfaction with counseling as well as willingness-to-pay. Convenient sampling method was used, and sample size was calculated based on power analysis. Data was analyzed through SPSS version 23. Chi-square (χ2) test and logistic regression analyses were conducted to report associations between variables and, determinants of satisfaction as well as willingness to pay respectively. The study was approved by concerned ethical committee (IRB-2019-05-020).ResultsPatients (n = 531) with previous counseling experience were more likely to be satisfied [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 5.2, p < 0.05]. Patients were more willing to pay if, they had an income above SAR 10,000 i.e., USD 2666.5 (AOR 1.78, p < 0.05), were satisfied with counseling time duration (AOR 4.5) and, were able to get counseling without difficulty (AOR 2.1, p < 0.05). Patients were more likely to be satisfied and were willing to pay if, they received required knowledge/information completely (AOR 2.5, 3.7, and p < 0.05) and found pharmacist helpful (AOR 1, 4.5, and p < 0.05). Most patients (43.9%) were satisfied with pharmacist counseling and average satisfaction rating was 7.87 ± 1.99/10.ConclusionPatients considered counseling as an important service and were satisfied from it. Less than a third of patients were willing to pay for the service. Knowledge and helpfulness of pharmacist were identified as two major determinants that could not only satisfy and but also promote willingness to pay for the service. A pharmacist with skills in pharmaceutical care and counseling could be useful in promoting the service and making it profitable for pharmacy business.

Highlights

Patient satisfaction is one of the most common and indirect indicators for evaluating the quality of health service (Prakash, 2010)
This study highlighted that patients considered pharmacist counseling as an important service that could help in effective disease state management
The quality of counseling offered to patients in hospital and community pharmacies of this region was according to the expectations as most patients were satisfied from it

Summary

Introduction

Patient satisfaction is one of the most common and indirect indicators for evaluating the quality of health service (Prakash, 2010). Available evidence indicates that patients who are satisfied from a healthcare service are more likely to achieve their target goals of therapy (Tabbish, 2001). From a patient’s perspective satisfaction could translate into empowerment in clinical decision making, promote a positive attitude toward health and medicines taking behavior, as well as better disease state management (Wendy and Scott, 1994; Foot, 2004). Satisfied patients are more likely to have better recovery that motivates healthcare provider to deliver better care (Wendy and Scott, 1994; Naqvi et al, 2019). Studies mention that satisfied patients were willing to pay for the service (Poulas et al, 2008; Pavel et al, 2015)

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion