1. Patients’ expectations on Pharmacy Sector
Dr. Jarmo R Lehtinen
Aspectum

2. Orientation Toward Environment
Surplus
society
Advantage
Emotions
emancipation of
customer
Hyper
competition,
Transparency
Virtual experiences
Virtual
society
Experience society

3. What is the offering offering goods customer knowledge (tangible)
service
knowledge
61% service attitude
19% friendliness
27% professionalism
93% info aout product
”medical customers”
”wellness customers”
Suomen apteekkariliitto survey

4. Women consult leaflets and pharmacists more than men
Which of the following sources do you find most useful when you want information about a prescribed medicine? (2004 responses)
70% / 69%
47% / 56%
26% / 33%
17% / 19%
Key differences in likelihood of consulting leaflet in pack or pharmacist – women more likely to do both
15% / 13%
14% / 13%
13% / 11%
9% / 7%
4% / 5%
5% / 3%
= Men
2% / 3%
Men% / Women%
= Women
Source: MORI Research sponsored by Medicines Partnership: The Public and Prescribed Medicines, 2004

5. Health professionals are main source for medicines information
Which of the following sources do you find most useful when you want information about a prescribed medicine?
= health professional
= other sources
Source: MORI Research sponsored by Medicines Partnership: The Public and Prescribed Medicines, 2004

6. Key Messages
Medicines use is high: nearly half surveyed have been taking prescribed medication for 12 months or longer
Health professionals are the main source for medicines information
… although there is room to improve their effectiveness in delivering information in user-friendly way
… and people value having more than one source of information
Side effects are a key area where people feel they need more information
Overall, people feel they do not know enough about alternative treatment options and the balance of risks and benefits of the treatment offered
Most people want to be involved in decisions about treatment
The extent varies by age, gender, social class and geographical location
Only 50-60% are being involved as much as they want to be in prescribing decisions
Doctors in particular are not involving patients as much as they would like
Patients’ experience of their views being heard seems to be improving
UK survey 2004

7. Expectations are reliability – trust transparency
knowledge and information: professional advice
nice and friendly attitude
easy to approach and ask

8. Customers’ expectations
35% of customers’ feel lack of privacy
especially women and young people
34% feel that customer service staff is too busy
49% visit pharmacy at least once a month
75% recieved the product without delay
University of Kuopio survey 2003

9. Service quality seen by a customer
Expectations are highest:
advices given by service staff
reliability of staff
credibility
Expectations were lowest:
physical environment
servqual- study in Finland

10. Reputation of Health Service in country* Top-33% countries
Rank 1 2 3 4 5 5 7 8 9 10 10 12 13   
Global Base: 36,859 Interviews
* not surveyed for China

11. Reputation of Health Service in country* Average-33% countries
Rank 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 21 23 24 24
26**   
Global Base: 36,859 Interviews
* not surveyed for China
** within Bottom-33%

12. Reputation of Health Service in country* Bottom-33% countries
Rank 26 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 35 37 38 39   
Global Base: 36,859 Interviews
* not surveyed for China

13. CASE: Yliopiston Apteekki
Frequent customer program:
price is not attraction, but services
helping customer to get full benefit from social support (KELA)
customer magazin (Apteekin hyllyltä) with special articles
emphazising core services

14. Two customer categories
Customers with medical problem
high emotions,
sometimes mentally unstable
Customers with ”wellness” problem
positive attitude, positive emotions
Same customer can have different roles
participation style differs

15. Foundations of competitive advantage
profit
competitve
advantage
social innovations
efficiency
CRM
understanding
customer
leadership