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Hussain R, Babar ZUD. Global landscape of community pharmacy services remuneration: a narrative synthesis of the literature. J Pharm Policy Pract 2023; 16:118. [PMID: 37814349 PMCID: PMC10561514 DOI: 10.1186/s40545-023-00626-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Community pharmacists form a vital part of the health system all around the globe. Pharmacy remuneration models are aimed to ensure that pharmacies are sustained, and pharmacists could provide cost-effective services to the patients. This review summarizes the pharmacy services remuneration systems from different parts of the globe. Some countries have well-established reimbursement systems that recognize and compensate community pharmacies for their services, others are in the process of expanding the scope of reimbursable services. It further concludes by highlighting the ongoing efforts to incorporate pharmacist-provided services into reimbursement schemes and the need for standardized and consistent approaches to pharmacy remuneration globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabia Hussain
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia.
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Soodi O, Hesari E, Hojjatifard R, Seyedifar M. Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Pharmacist Counselling Services and the Factors Affecting It in Community Pharmacies. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH : IJPR 2023; 22:e132736. [PMID: 38116550 PMCID: PMC10728831 DOI: 10.5812/ijpr-132736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Background Community pharmacists play an important role in improving outcome by providing advice and counselling services to patients. Objectives The aim of this study was to measure the willingness to pay (WTP) for pharmacist counselling services in community pharmacies and identify determinant factors on consumers' WTP. Methods A self-administered questionnaire-based survey was conducted in community pharmacies in Tehran (capital of Iran) from January 1, 2020 to February 20, 2021. Contingent valuation method was applied to evaluate respondents' maximum WTP using three hypothetical scenarios illustrating different levels of counselling services. Logistic regression was used to analyze the association between different variables and WTP for pharmacy services. Results Total number of participants who completed the questionnaire were 332 and 60% of the participants were male. In the first scenario 70.2% of participants were willing to pay for oral counselling pharmacy services. In the second and third scenario, percentage of people willing to pay increased to 79.5%. and 86.1%, respectively. In the first scenario, monthly income (OR = 0.041, P value = 0.04), the duration of underlying illness (OR = 0.04, P value = 0.04) and the using internet (OR = 2.59, P value = 2.59) had a statistically significant relationship with willingness to pay. In the third scenario, the willingness to pay increased as the age decreased. The possibility of using the internet (OR = 3.32, P value = 0.00) and the need for a community pharmacist (OR = 2.19, P value = 0.03) increased the chance of willingness to pay. Conclusions More consumers are willing to pay for more pharmacist counselling services. Therefore, improving the quality of counselling services could have positive economic effects on community pharmacies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omid Soodi
- Department of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Administration, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elahe Hesari
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Hojjatifard
- Department of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Administration, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Meysam Seyedifar
- Department of Pharmacoeconomics and Pharmaceutical Administration, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Pharmaceutical Management and Economic Research Center, the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Steigenberger C, Flatscher-Thoeni M, Siebert U, Leiter AM. Determinants of willingness to pay for health services: a systematic review of contingent valuation studies. THE EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF HEALTH ECONOMICS : HEPAC : HEALTH ECONOMICS IN PREVENTION AND CARE 2022; 23:1455-1482. [PMID: 35166973 PMCID: PMC8853086 DOI: 10.1007/s10198-022-01437-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Stated preference studies are a valuable tool to elicit respondents' willingness to pay (WTP) for goods or services, especially in situations where no market valuation exists. Contingent valuation (CV) is a widely used approach among stated-preference techniques for eliciting WTP if prices do not exist or do not reflect actual costs, for example, when services are covered by insurance. This review aimed to provide an overview of relevant factors determining WTP for health services to support variable selection. METHODS A comprehensive systematic literature search and review of CV studies assessing determinants of WTP for health services was conducted, including 11 electronic databases. Two of the authors made independent decisions on the eligibility of studies. We extracted all determinants used and related p values for the effect sizes (e.g. reported in regression models with WTP for a health service as outcome variable). Determinants were summarised in systematic evidence tables and structured by thematic domains. RESULTS We identified 2082 publications, of which 202 full texts were checked for eligibility. We included 62 publications on 61 studies in the review. Across all studies, we identified 22 WTP determinants and other factors from 5 thematic domains: sociodemographic characteristics, perceived threat, perceived benefit, perceived barriers, and other information. CONCLUSION Our review provides evidence on 22 relevant determinants of WTP for health services, which may be used for variable selection and as guidance for planning CV surveys. Endogeneity should be carefully considered before interpreting these determinants as causal factors and potential intervention targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Steigenberger
- Institute of Public Health, Medical Decision Making and Health Technology Assessment, Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria.
| | - Magdalena Flatscher-Thoeni
- Institute of Public Health, Medical Decision Making and Health Technology Assessment, Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria
| | - Uwe Siebert
- Institute of Public Health, Medical Decision Making and Health Technology Assessment, Department of Public Health, Health Services Research and Health Technology Assessment, UMIT - University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology, Hall in Tirol, Austria
- Division of Health Technology Assessment, ONCOTYROL, Center for Personalized Cancer Medicine, Innsbruck, Austria
- Institute for Technology Assessment, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Health Decision Science, Departments of Epidemiology and Health Policy and Management, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrea M Leiter
- Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Public Perception of Pharmacists in Poland. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19052515. [PMID: 35270206 PMCID: PMC8909892 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19052515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background. Pharmacists constitute one of the largest groups of medical professionals and play a significant role in public health. Pharmaceutical care in community pharmacies is one of the key elements that impact the clinical outcomes of patients. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the public perception of pharmacists in Poland, as well as the knowledge of and willingness of Polish people to use pharmaceutical care services. Methods. This study was carried out in 2017 on 1435 people. The research tool was an anonymous online questionnaire. Results. Of the participants, 61% considered pharmacists to have a position of public trust, and 25% trusted pharmacists to a lesser extent than representatives of other medical professions. The participants stated that pharmacists were kind (74%) and helpful (69%). For 52% of the participants, pharmacists were fully competent to provide information on medications. Twenty-eight percent of the participants ask pharmacists for advice related to medicinal products. Poles’ knowledge on pharmaceutical care was low (44% of the respondents knew this notion). Sixty-six percent of the participants were willing to use pharmaceutical consultations (43% free of charge, and 23% for a nominal fee). Conclusions. Although the overall perception of patients towards pharmacists was positive in Poland, it is essential to educate patients on the possibilities of using pharmaceutical services, and to promote the role of pharmacists in healthcare systems.
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AlShayban DM, Naqvi AA, Islam MA, Almaskeen M, Almulla A, Alali M, AlQaroos A, Raafat M, Iqbal MS, Haseeb A. Patient Satisfaction and Their Willingness to Pay for a Pharmacist Counseling Session in Hospital and Community Pharmacies in Saudi Healthcare Settings. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:138. [PMID: 32194400 PMCID: PMC7061856 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Patient satisfaction is an indicator for quality of healthcare service and is sometimes linked to patients’ willingness to pay. Willingness to pay is an economic method for estimating patient’s inclination for a service in monetary terms. This study assessed satisfaction of patients from pharmacist counseling service and estimated their willing to pay for the same. Methods A month-long survey was conducted in community and hospital pharmacies located in Khobar, Dammam, and Qatif cities of Saudi Arabia, using Arabic version of Patient Satisfaction Feedback (PSF) questionnaire that measured satisfaction with counseling as well as willingness-to-pay. Convenient sampling method was used, and sample size was calculated based on power analysis. Data was analyzed through SPSS version 23. Chi-square (χ2) test and logistic regression analyses were conducted to report associations between variables and, determinants of satisfaction as well as willingness to pay respectively. The study was approved by concerned ethical committee (IRB-2019-05-020). Results Patients (n = 531) with previous counseling experience were more likely to be satisfied [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 5.2, p < 0.05]. Patients were more willing to pay if, they had an income above SAR 10,000 i.e., USD 2666.5 (AOR 1.78, p < 0.05), were satisfied with counseling time duration (AOR 4.5) and, were able to get counseling without difficulty (AOR 2.1, p < 0.05). Patients were more likely to be satisfied and were willing to pay if, they received required knowledge/information completely (AOR 2.5, 3.7, and p < 0.05) and found pharmacist helpful (AOR 1, 4.5, and p < 0.05). Most patients (43.9%) were satisfied with pharmacist counseling and average satisfaction rating was 7.87 ± 1.99/10. Conclusion Patients considered counseling as an important service and were satisfied from it. Less than a third of patients were willing to pay for the service. Knowledge and helpfulness of pharmacist were identified as two major determinants that could not only satisfy and but also promote willingness to pay for the service. A pharmacist with skills in pharmaceutical care and counseling could be useful in promoting the service and making it profitable for pharmacy business.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhfer Mahdi AlShayban
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Atta Abbas Naqvi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Md Ashraful Islam
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Almaskeen
- College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Almulla
- College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhab Alali
- College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah AlQaroos
- College of Clinical Pharmacy, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed Raafat
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Shahid Iqbal
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz University, Alkharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul Haseeb
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
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Abstract
In 2017, a regulation referred to as “pharmacies for the pharmacists” was implemented in Poland, and Ukraine is going to implement a similar act of law. The study was to collect Ukrainian pharmacists’ opinions about the upcoming market regulation and to compare their views with opinions obtained from Polish pharmacists collected two years following the amendment of this legislation. The study was conducted in Poland and Ukraine using a self-designed questionnaire. Of 2162 questionnaires received, 2043 were included in the study (1623 from Ukraine and 420 from Poland). Ukrainian pharmacists (76.8%) feared that medicine prices would increase. Moreover, they presented concerns related to poorer access to pharmaceuticals and reduced turnovers of pharmacies. Two years after the market regulation, 55.23% of Polish pharmacists pointed out that none of the fears reported in Ukraine were observed in Poland. However, 33.10% revealed that market regulation led to “a reduction in the number of pharmacies”. Ukrainian pharmacists are afraid of community pharmacies’ regulation. Polish pharmacists, however, have not observed such problems during the two years following the market regulation. The only noticeable market change in Poland was the reduced number of pharmacies.
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Alhaddad MS. Youth Experience With Community Pharmacy Services and Their Perceptions Toward Implementation of Medication Therapy Management Services by Community Pharmacists in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. Ther Innov Regul Sci 2018; 53:95-99. [PMID: 29714597 DOI: 10.1177/2168479018769299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pharmacists are the part of the health care team who can counsel patients on the most appropriate use of medications. This study aims to measure patients' experience with services provided by community pharmacists and their perceptions toward providing medication therapy management (MTM) services by community pharmacists in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. In addition, this study aims to measure patients' willingness to pay (WTP) for participating in the MTM program led by community pharmacists. METHODS Using a cross-sectional research design, a prevalidated questionnaire was developed and posted to respondents through either face-to-face interviews or online social media. All data were analyzed using SPSS, version 22.0, and all alpha values less than 0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS A total of 953 responses were obtained in this study. Overall, 47.6% of the respondents always buy their medications from different community pharmacies, and 46.1% of respondents said that community pharmacists always respond to all of their questions. In addition, 96% of respondents perceived the MTM program to be beneficial for patient care. Moreover, 70.3% of respondents were willing to register in the MTM program if implemented at community pharmacies. CONCLUSION Residents in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia highly appreciate the additional values of the MTM program if implemented by community pharmacists. Decisions makers should encourage community pharmacists to plan for MTM services.
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