Latest AmerisourceBergen Index(R) Explores
Pharmacists' Value to Their Customers VALLEY FORGE, Pa., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to their ability
to answer health-related questions, customers rank their pharmacists extremely
high, according to the latest AmerisourceBergen Index(R).
Ninety-two percent of survey respondents described their pharmacists as
qualified to answer health questions - with 64 percent describing their
pharmacists as "very qualified." Those numbers were even higher among women
(70 percent), 35-to-44-year-olds, and adults 55 and over.
The survey also registered a strong positive response for a similar
question about the "value" of local pharmacies and pharmacists as a healthcare
resource. Seventy-two percent of respondents said they found their pharmacies
or pharmacists "extremely valuable" or "valuable," while 21 percent described
them as "somewhat" valuable. Once again, women, 35-to-44-year-olds and older
adults (65 plus) were most enthusiastic about their pharmacists.
These answers support the findings of an earlier AmerisourceBergen Index
(July 2003) in which eight in 10 adults said they would recommend their
pharmacist or pharmacy to friends or family members, and 56 percent said they
were more satisfied today with the service they receive from their local
pharmacies than they were a few years ago.
Consumers also reported having a large number of pharmacy choices in their
neighborhoods, with 68 percent saying they had four or more local pharmacies.
Only 28 percent reported having three or less.
The subject of automated pharmacy technologies is probably not yet top-of-
mind for most consumers. Given this, it was interesting that more than one
third of respondents said they would feel more confident about receiving the
correct medication and dose if a prescription were filled via automation.
Here, too, there were gender differences, with 42 percent of men answering yes
to this question versus 32 percent of women.
In another question that reflected gender differences, respondents were
asked whether they were responsible for administering medications to someone
other than themselves, such as a parent or other relative. Almost one quarter
of women answered yes, while only 12 percent of men gave a positive response
to this question. The number of affirmative answers was also higher among
25-to-44-year-olds, who are presumably responsible for dispensing medications
to children or parents.
Survey Methodology
The AmerisourceBergen Index(R) is a quarterly survey of trends, purchasing
behaviors and opinions about pharmacists and their customers. The current
survey of 1039 adults was conducted by telephone from October 24-27, 2003 by
Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of AmerisourceBergen, the largest
pharmaceutical services company in the United States dedicated solely to the
pharmaceutical supply channel. The margin of error is plus or minus three
percent.
About AmerisourceBergen
AmerisourceBergen (NYSE: ABC) is the largest pharmaceutical services
company in the United States dedicated solely to the pharmaceutical supply
chain. It is the leading distributor of pharmaceutical products and services
to the hospital systems/acute care market, physician's offices, alternate care
and mail order facilities, independent community pharmacies, and regional
chain pharmacies. The Company is also a leader in the long term care pharmacy
and workers' compensation fulfillment marketplaces. With more than
$40 billion in annualized operating revenue, AmerisourceBergen is
headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs more than 13,000 people.
AmerisourceBergen is ranked #24 on the Fortune 500 list and was ranked #6 in
the 2003 Business Week 50, a list of the 50 best performing companies in the
S & P 500. For more information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com.
(C) Copyright 2003 AmerisourceBergen Corporation.
SOURCE AmerisourceBergen Corporation
CONTACT: Barbara Brungess of AmerisourceBergen, +1-610-727-7199,
bbrungess@amerisourcebergen.com; or Iris Raylesberg of Kapnek Communications,
+1-215-830-9890, iris@kapnek.com, for AmerisourceBergen