Patient's willingness to pay for pharmaceutical care from community pharmacies in the north east of Thailand.

Aim - To explore demand and supply to encourage the implementation of pharmaceutical care through community pharmacies in NE Thailand. Objective - To determine i) the patient's willingness to pay (WTP) community pharmacists for defined pharmaceutical care, ii) factors which identify the WTP and iii) the feasibility of community pharmacists implementing pharmaceutical care. Method - This consisted of a cross-sectional descriptive study based on the theoretical underpinnings of the WTP approach and the practice change model. The contingent valuation method (CVM) was used as the method to survey patient's WTP for hypothetically defined pharmaceutical care (n = 1,322) to achieve the first and second objectives. To determine the third objective, the Holland-Nimmo practice change model was used as a frame with 12 community pharmacists. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were considered. These could be divided into 3 phases. The first phase, focus group and pre-survey, was to determine by the CVM which method of elicitation of the WTP would be most effective for the second phase. This was the main survey, a consumer study, to identify the patient's WTP and achieve the first and second objectives. The third phase used in-depth interviews and simulated clients in the community pharmacists' studies to determine the third objective. Key findings - The bidding game elicitation method was selected for this and no starting point bias occurred. By packing the services for valuation using the annual membership fee approach called PHARMA CARD, the median WTP value in the willing to pay group for the PHARMA CARD membership fee was £1.56 (interquartile = £1.56). The parameters, from the logistic model, most indicative of whether individuals would be willing to pay were older age, single state, and respondents who had an income >= 100,000 baht (£1,565.19) per year. From the frame of the Holland-Nimmo practice change model, the empirical results showed that in the practice environment the community pharmacists scored well for location and equipment. The overall standard of community pharmacy practice, especially quality of care, needed considerable improvement. In the area of learning resources all twelve community pharmacists needed strong support in continuing education and model development. Major motivational strategies were shown to consist of two broad types, economic incentives and social incentives/recognition. Two opinions were expressed on economic incentives. Five of the twelve community pharmacists decided to implement the PHARMA CARD project and collect 100 baht (£1.56). It should be noted that 100 baht (£1.56) median WTP value within the willing to pay group from the consumer study. The others indicated they would implement the PHARMA CARD project project free of charge. For the social incentive, eleven of twelve community pharmacists indicated that community pharmacy accreditation was important. There was concern about the process of accreditation and its continuity. Conclusion - The CVM, bidding game, potentially has the ability to inform on the consumers demand and to provide a monetary measure of benefits for non-marketed goods or services such as pharmaceutical care. It is feasible to implement pharmaceutical care in community pharmacy because this study showed that there was demand and all twelve community pharmacists agreed that they should expand their involvement in patient care through providing pharmaceutical care.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Robert Gordon University

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Kessomboon, Nusaraporn

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• A.J. Winfield, D. McCaig, R.M.E. Richards and V. Tangcharoensathien

• Pharmaceutical care
• Community pharmacies
• Contingent valuation method
• Patient willingness to pay
• Membership fee model
• Holland-Nimmo

Language dc:language

en

Identifier

oai:rgu-repository.worktribe.com:2807427
https://doi.org/10.48526/rgu-wt-2807427

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:rgu-repository.worktribe.com:2807427