ADVERTISEMENT
Search

Pharmacy News

Dr Marie Sartain
/ Categories: APhA News

Most Americans more likely to seek non-emergency health care at pharmacies

A new survey from Wolters Kluwer Health reflects increasing trust in providers in non-traditional primary care settings.

The survey indicated that roughly 58% of Americans are likely to visit a local pharmacy as a first step when faced with a non-emergency medical issue, and 81% said they trust a pharmacist, nurse, or nurse practitioner to diagnose minor illnesses and prescribe medications.

Additionally, 56% and 54% of Generation Z and Millennials, respectively, said they visited a local pharmacy to receive care in the past year, compared with 40% of Generation Xers and 35% of Baby Boomers.

About 79% of Americans said they trusted their local pharmacy to provide care more than staff at health clinics inside department stores like Target or Walmart. The survey also indicated that 54% of Americans would go to a traditional physician’s office only for vaccinations for children; however, for influenza and other vaccinations for adults, 62% said they would go to a local pharmacy.

Additionally, 37% of U.S. consumers said they decided not to fill a prescription because of cost, and 76% supported converting many widely used, comparatively safe prescription drugs to OTC status. Doing so would help lower costs without compromising safety, according to 74% of Americans.

The survey also revealed that 86% of Americans would receive generic medications if it meant saving money, 92% felt their physician and their pharmacist should inform them of these alternatives, and 36% said they had talked with their pharmacist in the past few months about affording their medications or to see if other options were available.

Previous Article FDA approves new buprenorphine treatment option for OUD
Next Article New report finds growth in illegal online pharmacies
Print
9882 Rate this article:
5.0
Please login or register to post comments.
ADVERTISEMENT