People want physicians to fill their prescriptions

Three out of four Americans, if given a choice, say they'd rather fill their personal prescriptions in their doctor's office than make a separate trip to a pharmacy. Their top reasons? To save time and to improve the quality of their care.

Households with children (83 percent) and people age 25 to 44 (82 percent) were the mostly likely to want this convenience, according to the results of a 2007 telephone survey of 1,000 adults. According to Purkinje, the healthcare technology company that sponsored the study, the results indicate an opportunity for physicians to improve patient satisfaction and compliance by adding what's known as "point-of-care dispensing" to their practices.

The study holds some interesting implications for the veterinary profession, considering that most veterinarians dispense pet medications in their practices-and there's fierce competition for those dollars from Internet pharmacies and big-box retail stores. So before you throw in the towel and watch your pharmacy income walk out the door, consider that your clients might prefer your medication-dispensing system over that of their own doctor's office-especially if you emphasize the convenience and top-level medical care associated with in-practice dispensing.