At least one base pharmacy will be investigating ways to engage military personnel who don’t use the pharmacy, after a survey underscored some key barriers to pharmacy access.
In a poster presentation at the Joint Federal Pharmacy Seminar, researchers from the Hill Air Force Base in Utah and Pfizer Medical Affairs reported on the findings of a texting-based survey they conducted between July 8, 2024, and July 30, 2024, which yielded a return of 1810 surveys.1
The research team noted a “precipitous decline in prescription volume post COVID-19,” and a corresponding rise in use of retail pharmacies in the surrounding area, which they said, presented an opportunity to survey why the shift from the base pharmacy to surrounding retail establishments occurred. The researchers identified survey participants by looking at those who had opted into texting via the GSL will-call system, and those who had used Q-Flow, which captures patients who are using the 75th MDG Pharmacy, between November 2023 and June 2024.
Users of the base pharmacy, 1515, were more likely to be female, although the researchers said it wasn’t clear whether it was for themselves or a family member. Of the respondents who more frequently used the base pharmacy, cost was a primary catalyst.
Of the 81 survey respondents who said they did not use the base pharmacy, the top deterrent was they were too far from the base, with about half citing geography as a deterrent.
The researchers noted that their findings were limited by the fact that there were far fewer respondents in the “nonuser of base pharmacy group,” when compared with the more frequent base users, but, they said, their data showed opportunities exist to reach nonusers of base pharmacies.
“Opportunities exist to gain insights (over text message) and educate nonusers of base pharmacy,” the researchers wrote, noting that the opportunities include, “balancing cost of prescriptions at local pharmacies vs. origin, use of technology like kiosks, as well as possible statistics comparison of wait times between community and base pharmacy.”
Reference
- Holt J, Hall A, Glover J, et al. Understanding the factors that drive patient decision making regarding the choice of on versus off base pharmacy benefit preferences and medication services. Presented at: Joint Federal Pharmacy Seminar. November 9-12, 2024; San Diego, CA.