Majority of Patients Desire In Office Medication Dispensing, Study Finds
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A new research study by Purkinje, a healthcare technology and services firm, finds that three out of four (75%) Americans would prefer to have their prescription(s) filled in their doctor’s office instead of a retail pharmacy if given the choice. The research was conducted by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of Purkinje.
The study examined consumer attitudes of an FDA-approved service known as in-office medication or point-of-care dispensing. The practice involves distributing pre-packaged medications directly to patients at the point of care, saving them a trip to the pharmacy and allowing them to immediately begin their treatment.
Overall preference for office-based medication dispensing appears to be driven by the prospect of saving time and improving quality of care, according to Purkinje. A majority of respondents (84%) said such a service would be more convenient, and 62% said it would help them better manage their health.
According to their media statement, “Thousands of progressive medical and dental offices around the nation are adding medication dispensing as a way to heighten the patient experience and create a new source of revenue,” said Tom Doerr, M.D., chief medical officer for Purkinje and a practicing physician. “Patients like the comfort of having their prescription filled in the privacy of their physician’s office, and the convenience of starting their treatment right away.”
Purkinje says software programs are usually integrated with in office medication dispensing services to double check to ensure patients are receiving the right medicine, cross-check against known allergies and look for potentially adverse interactions. Medications arrive in safety sealed bottles, they say, prepackaged offsite under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Apparently, point of care dispensing can also be integrated with electronic medical records systems.
Our own brief research suggests the practice of in office medication dispensing (or point of care dispensing) has been around for more than 20 years, although it has failed to meet initial expectations. Although some 15,000 – 20,000 physicians dispense medications at the point of care, the vast majority of doctors do not offer this service.
This could mean one of two things. Either in office dispensing is a promising but untapped new service for physicians, or its promises don’t hold up in real practice. Nevertheless, it appears a majority of Americans are receptive to this type of medication service in their physician offices.
Fair disclosure: Purkinje is currently a sponsor of this blog.
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