Table 3 Factors hindering counselling about generic substitution (GS) and the reference price system (RPS)
Main category | Respondentsa (n = 443) |
|---|---|
Subcategory | n (%)b |
Customers’ characteristics | 203 (45.8) |
Difficulties in understanding GS and/or RPS | 93(45.8) |
Prejudice, lack of interest or negative attitude | 57 (28.1) |
Difficulties in communication | 41 (20.2) |
Prefer physician’s choice of the product | 23 (11.3) |
Unaware of GS or RPS | 18 (8.9) |
Not the user of the medicine | 11 (5.4) |
Other (e.g. age, illnesses, lots of medicines) | 34 (16.7) |
Unavailability of medicines and other availability issues | 144 (32.5) |
The medicine is not available in the pharmacy or from a wholesaler | 122 (84.7) |
Need to check the availability of the medicine from a wholesaler | 18 (12.5) |
Problems in availability after the change of reference price | 13 (9.0) |
Matters related to the features of interchangeable medicines | 100 (22.6) |
Small price differences between interchangeable medicines and informing customers about them | 43 (43.0) |
Different and difficult names of the interchangeable medicines | 23 (23.0) |
Large selection of interchangeable medicine options | 23 (23.0) |
Other (e.g. only one or small number of interchangeable medicines in the reference price band) | 26 (26.0) |
Time pressure in the pharmacy | 98 (22.1) |
Changes in prices of interchangeable medicines, in the reference price band and its preparations | 71 (16.0) |
Constantly/frequently changing prices | 34 (47.9) |
Changes in the reference price band and update of the new reference price | 29 (40.8) |
Variable position of interchangeable medicines in the reference price band | 9 (12.7) |
Complexity of GS and RPS | 57 (12.9) |
System is complex and difficult | 36 (63.2) |
System is difficult to explain clearly to the customer | 13 (22.8) |
Instructions and rules for GS and RPS are complex | 12 (21.1) |
Shortcomings in the information systems used in the pharmacy | 34 (7.7) |
The necessary information is not easily or sufficiently visible (e.g. price differences between medicines), or not found at all | 29(85.3) |
Other (e.g. the pharmacy system is complex) | 6 (17.6) |
Other | 52 (11.7) |
Matters related to dispensers (e.g. negative attitude, insufficient competence) | 6 (11.5) |
There are lots of things to tell the customer | 4 (7.7) |
Other | 42 (80.8) |