Patients' expectations and their satisfaction with pharmacy services.

OBJECTIVE: To identify whether prior experiences, ideal referents, or market-based expectations affect patients' satisfaction with pharmacy services. DESIGN: Ambulatory pharmacy patients were randomly assigned to groups receiving one of three surveys. Each survey varied by the type of expectation (independent variable) used to measure expectations for satisfaction with pharmacy services. We used regression analysis to evaluate the three different expectation measures in the satisfaction model. Each regression consisted of the same dependent variable (patient satisfaction). Each survey contained one type of expectation measure (independent variable): prior experiences, ideal referents, and market-based expectations. RESULTS: We received 315 evaluable surveys by mail (47% response rate). All three regression models were statistically significant; however, the independent variables in the models differed. CONCLUSION: Cognitive services are best evaluated from the patient's perspective by asking him or her how the services compare with what they should be (i.e., ideal referent). Tangible aspects of the services, such as informational leaflets or wait time, are best evaluated by asking patients how recent experiences compare with past experiences. Therefore, satisfaction surveys should be designed to specifically assess the type of services provided by the pharmacy.