Survey of Preference for Prescription Refilling Options in Patients with Chronic Diseases

Abstract

Objective: To determine the preference for prescription refilling options in patients with chronic diseases. Method: This survey was conducted between February and March 2018 using accidental sampling of patients with chronic disease from outpatient clinics of Buddhachinaraj Hospital, Phitsanulok. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire for determining opinion and preferences of subjects on medication refilling options based on marketing mix. Results: Subjects were 369 patients with an average age of 58.4±14.7 years, being hypertension (65.6%), and receiving 1-3 items of medications (40.2%). With regard to product, promotion and price in marketing mix, hospital refill was the refilling option with the highest preference with the mean of 4.4±0.7, 4.4±0.6, and 4.4±0.8, respectively (out of full score of 5). For place in marketing mix, home delivery refiling acquired the highest score on preference (3.8±0.9). The average willingness to pay were 75.8, 67.4, and 64.9 baht for community pharmacy-based, EMS mail, and home delivery refilling options, respectively. Refilling options with the highest to lowest levels of preference were hospital-based (82.9%), community pharmacy-based (73.7%), EMS mail (72.3%), and home delivery (65.1%). Participants’ top three expectations from refilling services were fast dispensing time (21.6%), having pharmacist counseling (18.0%), and being assured that the dispensed medicines were correct and in good conditions (16.1%). Conclusion: Outpatients with chronic diseases in urban areas tended to prefer medication refill in hospitals to other options. Therefore, in order to reduce hospital crowded, promoting other refilling options should focus on improving marketing mix especially on product and promotion matrix to achieve a comparable feature with hospital refilling.