Assessing Patient Satisfaction with the Service Quality Provided in Community Pharmacies: Khartoum Locality, Sudan

Abstract

Objectives: Due to the limited studies assessing community pharmacy services quality in Khartoum, this study is aimed to explore patients’ satisfaction level with pharmacist’s communication, consulting and service delivery qualities.Methods: A descriptive institutional health facility-based prospective study was carried out at 229 Community pharmacies in Khartoum Locality using data collected by self-administrative questionnaires from 385 respondents and then analysed by using SPSS version 25.Results: A total of 385 participants answered the questionnaire completely with a response rate of 90%. The majority of patients expressed high level of satisfaction in community pharmacy communication services (n±SD=3.88±1.10) though they were dissatisfied in ‘time allocated to answer patient’s questions (n±SD=3.57±1.11)’ and ‘time allocated to prepare medications (n±SD=3.70±1.05)’. Patients were fairly satisfied in pharmacist’s consultation services quality (n±SD=3.18±1.30) but they showed lower satisfaction level in ‘explaining on the possible side effects, and telling the precautions (e.g. activities to avoid.) (n±SD=2.81±1.37)’ and ‘encouraging patients to raise questions about medication (n±SD=2.81±1.40)’ as well as the ‘level of provided privacy (n±SD=2.84±1.23)’. Services relating to delivery were associated with the worst experience and lowest level of patient satisfaction (n±SD=2.77±1.20).Conclusion: Patients were generally satisfied with pharmacist’s communication quality but showed disappointment in consultation and the service delivery qualities. Services in Khartoum Locality community pharmacies are product-based with negligible patient participation.

Keywords: Community Pharmacy Services; Patient Counselling; Patient Satisfaction; Quality Assessment; Patient-Pharmacist Intercommunication; Medication Safety