Gender differences in rating pharmacy services in a large urban Medicaid health plan, 2008-2010

The primary focus of studies on gender disparities in access to medications is properly on utilization and basic access to prescription medicines. However, the quality of services rendered in pharmacies impacts all other aspects of successful pharmaceutical treatments: women's access to medications; access to competent instruction on using medications effectively and safely; and adherence to regimens of treatment.

(1) Comparing gender differences in rating pharmacy services in a Medicaid population: Medicaid provides a unique lens for evaluating gender disparities in access and quality of service for vulnerable populations of women (including older women, recent mothers, with some ability to make intergenerational comparisons in pharmacy access for adult women and children).

(2) Setting: This presentation reports the experience of one large urban Medicaid health plan in surveying members regarding the quality of pharmacy access. Data were gathered through a bloc of pharmacy-related questions added to annual CAHPS surveys (pooled 2006-2010).

(3) Survey questions: Members were asked to rate pharmacy services, instructions from the pharmacist; and specific problems or barriers that they experienced in getting medications.

(4) Analyses: The briefing will present several comparisons (a) gender differences in rating pharmacy services; (b) gender differences in rating instructions from pharmacists; (c) gender differences in types of problems at the pharmacy; (d) differences in ratings and barriers reported for female women and children; (e) contrast differences in satisfaction reported under different models for providing pharmacy services; and (f) identify key areas for improving services from pharmacists to patients, regardless of gender.