Selecting Alternate Drug Therapies

Abstract

This study investigates the pharmacist's use of four cues--cost of alternative drug therapies to the patient, convenience afforded patients by alternative drug therapies, the patient's social support system, and the severity of the patient's illness--in a judgement of his or her likelihood of selecting an alternative drug therapy. A survey instrument using the four cues at low and high intensities resulted in a 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 crossover design with repeated measures. A linear prediction model for pharmacists' judgment concerning the likelihood of selecting an alternative drug therapy resulted. Sixty-four percent of the variation in these subjects judgment policies concerning the likelihood of selecting an alternative to the one prescribed was explained. Cost of therapy was weighed greatest among the variables studied, followed by severity, support, and convenience. However, cost of drug therapy was used least frequently by the subjects. Most often, pharmacists were concerned with the severity of a patient's illness, followed by support, convenience, and then cost. Pharmacists' use of patient convenience information is questioned.