Pharmacies' shift toward health and wellness services is fueling increases in patient satisfaction and spending, according to consumer insight firm J.D. Power's annual pharmacy satisfaction survey.
The J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Pharmacy Study, released Aug. 5, measured customer satisfaction by surveying more than 12,000 customers who filled a prescription in the three months before the survey period of May to June.
The results revealed that 48 percent of retail pharmacy customers have utilized at least one health and wellness service offered by their pharmacy this year, a 5 percentage-point increase from last year. Customers who have utilized at least one of these services spend an average of $11 more than those who do not.
The survey also showed that retail pharmacies' overall customer satisfaction is 26 points higher (on a 1,000-point scale) for customers who utilize health and wellness services compared to those who do not.
"It's clear that pharmacy operators are positioning themselves to become hubs of consumer healthcare, edging into the space once reserved for primary care physicians' offices," James Beem, J.D. Power's managing director of healthcare intelligence, said in an Aug. 5 news release. "What has not been clear until now is exactly how consumers would react to the shift. Simply put, they're embracing it, and it's driving higher overall satisfaction and increased spending as they use more health and wellness-oriented services."