A survey of drive-thru pharmacy services: Evaluating the acceptance and perspectives of community pharmacists in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: The practice of dispensing drugs in primary healthcare centers has shifted to community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia. These changes increase demand and mandate improving their services; one such is establishing pharmacy drive-thru services. To explore the effects of drive-thru services on the pharmacy profession, this study aimed to measure community pharmacists' acceptance, perception, and satisfaction regarding drive-thru services.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study design was conducted in Saudi Arabia between January 2023 and May 2023-comparing the perception, acceptance, and satisfaction of pharmacists who work in a community pharmacy that provides a drive-thru service versus no drive-thru service. Community pharmacists were invited to complete an online questionnaire consisting of four sections developed from previous studies with some modifications. Descriptive statistical analysis and an independent t -test were utilized to test the difference between the two groups (providing drive-thru service vs. non) in their responses.

RESULTS: This study included 380 community pharmacists, of whom 33 % provided drive-thru services and 67 % did not. Pharmacists' perceptions of drive-thru services differed significantly. Those with drive-thru services perceived lower convenience for delivering drug information and patient counseling, and they were concerned about the potential impact on their health effects (M = 3.15, SD = 1.34) compared to those without (M = 3.58, SD = 1.10), t (3 7 8) = -3.32, p < 0.01). However, they recognized the convenience of serving sick patients, the elderly, disabled individuals, and mothers with children in cars (M = 3.71, SD = 1.17), which was higher than those without (M = 4.04, SD = 1.21), t (3 7 8) = -2.70, p < 0.01). Regarding the current pharmacy layout suitability, pharmacists with drive-thru services found it more suitable (M = 3.13, SD = 1.14) than those without (M = 2.49, SD = 1.14), t (3 7 8) = 5.1, p < 0.01). However, the two groups had no significant difference in overall satisfaction.

CONCLUSION: Pharmacists working in pharmacies offering drive-thru services recognized certain benefits but also expressed concerns about health effects and decreased convenience for counseling. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and pharmacy management, highlighting the nuanced views of pharmacists in adopting drive-thru services.