Level of Patient Satisfaction towards Community Pharmacy Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Keywords:
Community Pharmacy Services, Patient Satisfaction, COVID-19, Tandag CityAbstract
Background: Evaluating the extent to which patients are satisfied with community pharmacy services is clinically significant, as satisfied patients are more likely to comply with treatment, continue using healthcare services, value and maintain relationships with healthcare providers, and have better health outcomes.
Objectives: The study aimed to assess the level of patient satisfaction with the services provided by community pharmacies and the factors that affect this level of satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: The study employed a descriptive, quantitative, cross-sectional, and correlational research design. The survey questionnaire used in the study was a modified version of the Community Pharmacy Patient Questionnaire (PSNC) from the United Kingdom. Using a convenience sampling technique, the researchers collected quantitative data from two hundred and one (201) respondents from the community pharmacies in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, Philippines.
Results: Among the 201 respondents, 70.6% are under the age range of 29 years old and above. More than half (69.2%) completed tertiary education, 44.3% have an income ranging from 30,000 to 119,000 pesos, and 64.2% have visited the pharmacy seven or more times. The manner in which pharmacists assist the patients is delighted patients (m= 2.83; High), patient education (m= 2.88; High), availability of medications (m= 2.76; High), communication skills (m= 2.82; High), and pharmacy location (m= 2.86; High), indicating satisfaction from patients. Furthermore, considering all the patients' responses, it can be concluded that the patients are delighted with their services (mean = 2.86). Moreover, the socio-demographic profile of the patients, including age (p-value = 0.002), level of income (p-value = 0.020), level of education acquired (p-value = 0.046), and pharmacy consultation (p-value = 0.040), has a significant correlation with their satisfaction with community pharmacy services.
Conclusion: Identifying such data will provide evidence of the need to improve services and practices. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of community pharmacies in delivering essential medicines, information, and safety precautions. Community pharmacies strive to provide all the services that the community needs. In future research, research teams may consider a standardized test study that aligns with patients' expectations and pharmacists' understanding of the services that should be provided.
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