CONSUMERS’ SATISFACTION ABOUT PHARMACEUTICAL CARE PROVIDED BY PHARMACIST IN RA

Abstract

Pharmacy professionals are drug experts who can provide medicine information, optimized medicine therapy management, promoting safe and cost effective use of medications for positive therapeutic outcome. Evaluation of consumer satisfaction with pharmaceutical care as a crucial part of the health services through appropriate studies is important to identify gaps and factors influencing it. Purpose: to analyze and evaluate the satisfaction of general consumers about pharmaceutical care provided in pharmacies of the Republic of Armenia (RA). Methods. The study was carried out among 383 consumers using pharmacy in the regions of Armenia and Yerevan. The research instrument was a questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software (version 11.0). Results. During the study it becomes clear that a very small percentage of consumers (17%) consulted by a pharmacy employees in case of minor ailments. Most of them don’t get the necessary information about medicine from the pharmacy employee. They use OTC medicine independently taking into account their previous experience (25%), they apply to the physician (34%), sometimes use the internet (11%) and advertising information (11%). Very few of them are clearly satisfied with the answers of a pharmacy employee (29%) and fully trust them (26%). Conclusions. Steps should be taken for improving the professional knowledge of pharmacy employees about medicines and pharmaceutical care, which, in its turn, can restore consumer trust in them, promote the rational use of Over the counter (OTC) medicines by consumers, and also effect the economic and financial situation of the pharmacy. Research data can be considered as an indicator that there is a need to develop pharmaceutical care algorithms which can help for advice.