For Immediate Release – Friday, August 31, 2006
Wilson Health Information releases new consumer satisfaction survey that finds overall pharmacy satisfaction increasing for the 5th consecutive year (Figure 3). Customers of all pharmacy store types are more satisfied in 2006. Customers of independent pharmacies report highest levels of satisfaction.
New Hope, Pennsylvania, August 31, 2006
The newly released WilsonRx® Reports show that chains continue to be the most commonly used type of pharmacy, followed by mail, independent, food store, mass merchant, and clinic pharmacies. The most commonly used pharmacies in the U.S. include Walgreens, CVS, Wal-Mart, Medco, Caremark, Kroger, and Rite Aid (Figure 1). Among those who use mail, 70% probably or definitely would use their local pharmacy if the amount and price were identical, and nearly half (48%) of household consumers report that they use more than one pharmacy to fill prescriptions.
While the majority of pharmacy customers trust their pharmacist as a source of information on medications, fewer than one out of four pharmacy customers indicate that they spoke to their pharmacist when they last filled a medication (Figure 2). “Pharmacists are uniquely positioned to provide patient education and counseling, yet few take advantage of the opportunity. The downside is that consumers may be missing the chance to develop a relationship with their pharmacist and learn more about their medications and their proper use,” said third generation pharmacist Jim Wilson, President of Wilson Health Information “customers are more satisfied and more loyal to their pharmacy and more likely to take their medications as prescribed if they speak to their pharmacist.”
Now in its seventh year, the WilsonRx® Survey, which includes more than 300 topics, was mailed to 68,721 household shoppers across the 48 continental states and the top 23 U.S. metropolitan markets in February of 2006. The WilsonRx® reports provide healthcare executives with competitive intelligence and information about levels of satisfaction and importance ratings for more than 50 pharmacy related issues for the leading chains; 50 Pharmacy Benefit, Health and Dental Insurance Issues and perceptions of care for 56 medical conditions such as Arthritis, COPD, Diabetes, Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Pain and other conditions.
Top rated pharmacies, PBMs, Health Insurers and Dental Insurers will be announced on September 5th. Wilson Health Information, LLC, is an independent, healthcare consumer research company. Material may not be used for promotional purposes without written permission. For more information, visit www.wilsonrx.com, email info@wilsonrx.com or contact Jim Wilson at (215) 862- 4581.
THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE USED FOR PROMOTIONAL PURPOSES WITHOUT EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM WILSON HEALTH INFORMATION, LLC
