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WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. — Customer satisfaction at pharmacies has improved since last year, according to the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Pharmacy Study.
Customer satisfaction at pharmacies has improved since last year, according to the J.D. Power 2014 U.S. Pharmacy Study.
Publix Super Markets Inc. received the top overall score among brick-and-mortar pharmacies in the study, with a customer satisfaction index rating of 886 on a 1,000-point scale.
Good Neighbor Pharmacy — the independent pharmacy network of AmerisourceBergen Corp. — was close behind with a score of 884, earning it the top spot among drug chains.
Rounding out the top 10 ratings of brick-and-mortar pharmacies were Wegmans Food Markets (883), McKesson Corp.’s Health Mart independent pharmacy franchise (873), Sam’s Club (865), H-E-B (864), Hy-Vee (852), Target (851), Costco (850) and Walgreens (848).
The 2014 U.S. Pharmacy Study was based on responses this summer from 13,951 pharmacy customers. It measured their satisfaction with five key elements of the pharmacy experience: prescription ordering, the store, cost competitiveness, pharmacists and nonpharmacist staff. The study also examined satisfaction with mail order pharmacies, using different criteria.
The average satisfaction score for chain drug stores rose 12 points, to 840. The score for supermarkets rose eight points, to 843, while the score for mass merchant pharmacies was flat at 830. Mail order pharmacies had an average satisfaction score of 822, which was up 25 points versus 2013.
Of the national drug chains, Walgreens came in first in pharmacy customer satisfaction with its score of 848, followed by Rite Aid (837) and CVS/pharmacy (829). All three saw their satisfaction ratings climb in 2014, with Walgreens’ score rising 20 points and Rite Aid’s and CVS’ ratings up by 10 points.
Supermarket pharmacies turned in the highest average score of brick-and-mortar pharmacies with their 843 rating. After No. 4 Hy-Vee, the next highest rankings among supermarketers were Kroger (846), Giant (844), Stop & Shop (838), ShopRite (831), Albertsons (827) and Giant Eagle (803).
Among mass merchant pharmacies, including discounters and warehouse clubs, following No. 3 Costco were Meijer (834), Kmart (828), Shopko (826) and Walmart (820).
"For brick-and-mortar pharmacies, ensuring pharmacists are directly interacting with customers is one of the keys to delivering a satisfactory experience," said Rick Johnson, director of the health care practice at J.D. Power.
