--- title: "Factors influencing quality of patient interaction | Sutter Health" description: "To examine factors influencing the amount of time and information pharmacy personnel provide to patients at drive-through and walk-in counseling areas." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pt-interaction-at-drive-through-walk-in-pharmacy-1055312851" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Factors influencing quality of patient interaction # Factors influencing quality of patient interaction at community pharmacy drive-through and walk-in counseling areas. Odukoya OK, Chui MA, & Pu J. _Int J Pharm Pract. 22(4):246-56. doi: 10.1111/ijpp.12073. Epub 2013 Oct 25._ 2014-08-01 ## Abstract OBJECTIVE: To examine factors influencing the amount of time and information pharmacy personnel provide to patients at drive-through and walk-in counseling areas. METHODS: On-site observational data collection in 22 community pharmacies by pharmacy students. Information included observable patient characteristics such as gender, age range, English proficiency and mobility impairment; encounter characteristics included type of prescription and whether the patient was acknowledged; and counseling characteristics included types of counseling information conveyed and length of time for each encounter. KEY FINDINGS: Patient-pharmacist encounters were documented at the drive-through and walk-in counseling areas 961 and 1098 times respectively. Pharmacists spent less time, and technicians more time, with patients at the drive-through counseling area. The amount of information provided to patients was significantly affected by whether the patient was receiving new versus refill prescriptions. Patients with a new prescription were twice as likely to receive more information from pharmacy personnel. There was a significant difference between the amount of counseling provided to patients at the drive-through and walk-in counseling area (rate ratio (RR) 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86-1.00). Patients at the drive-through received a lower amount of information relative to patients using the walk-in. Amount of information provided to patients was affected by the level of pharmacy busyness (RR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Providing patient care at the drive-through counseling area may negatively influence quality of patient care. To improve quality of pharmacy drive-through services, standardization of drive-through services in pharmacies may be needed. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=odukoya+o%2C+chui+m%2C+pu+j) ## Research topics - [Health Services](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Health+Services%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [The public's opinions of physicians: do perceived choice and exercised choice matter?](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/public-opinion-mds-perceived-exercised-choice-1055312570) Tai-Seale M, Pescosolido B. Am J Manag Care. 9(9):631-8. 2003 Sep 01 - Publication ### [Physician engagement with metrics in Lean primary care transformation.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/physician-engagement-lean-primary-care-transformation-1055312390) Gray CP, Yakir M, Hung DY. 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Health Serv Res. 2017 Jun;52(3):919-932. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.12719. 2017 Jun 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pt-interaction-at-drive-through-walk-in-pharmacy-1055312851#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Factors influencing quality of patient interaction"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pt-interaction-at-drive-through-walk-in-pharmacy-1055312851#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Factors influencing quality of patient interaction at community pharmacy drive-through and walk-in counseling areas.","headline":"Factors influencing quality of patient interaction","abstract":"OBJECTIVE: To examine factors influencing the amount of time and information pharmacy personnel provide to patients at drive-through and walk-in counseling areas. METHODS: On-site observational data collection in 22 community pharmacies by pharmacy students. Information included observable patient characteristics such as gender, age range, English proficiency and mobility impairment; encounter characteristics included type of prescription and whether the patient was acknowledged; and counseling characteristics included types of counseling information conveyed and length of time for each encounter. KEY FINDINGS: Patient-pharmacist encounters were documented at the drive-through and walk-in counseling areas 961 and 1098 times respectively. Pharmacists spent less time, and technicians more time, with patients at the drive-through counseling area. The amount of information provided to patients was significantly affected by whether the patient was receiving new versus refill prescriptions. Patients with a new prescription were twice as likely to receive more information from pharmacy personnel. There was a significant difference between the amount of counseling provided to patients at the drive-through and walk-in counseling area (rate ratio (RR) 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86-1.00). Patients at the drive-through received a lower amount of information relative to patients using the walk-in. Amount of information provided to patients was affected by the level of pharmacy busyness (RR 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Providing patient care at the drive-through counseling area may negatively influence quality of patient care. 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