Consumers' willingness to pay for pharmacy services that reduce risk of medication-related problems.

OBJECTIVE: To measure willingness to pay (WTP) for pharmacists' services directed toward reducing the risk of medication-related problems and to determine factors that have a significant influence on WTP.
DESIGN: WTP was measured using a contingent valuation method that involved asking respondents about their maximum WTP for pharmacists' services using a self-administered questionnaire. Respondents' WTP through ex post (out of pocket) and ex ante (insurance premium) methods were measured using three hypothetical scenarios illustrating reductions in the risk of medication-related problems. Logistic regression and semilog regression were performed to evaluate the responses to the survey.
SETTING: Outpatient clinic of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and two physician offices located in New Jersey. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 316 patients and/or family members, who visited the study site between March 1 and September 15, 1999, were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Amounts patients were willing to pay out of pocket or through insurance premiums for pharmacists' services.
RESULTS: The mean WTP out of pocket for pharmacy services ranged from $4.02 to $5.48 per prescription, depending on the level of risk reduction. Mean WTP through an increased insurance premium ranged from $28.79 to $36.29 per year. Overall, the average WTP for a pharmacist's consultation was $5.57, and WTP increased by $0.87 as counseling time increased by 1 minute. WTP was sensitive to changes in the magnitude of risk reduction in both ex post and ex ante scenarios. Income was positively related to WTP, but not to the level of statistical significance.
CONCLUSION: Respondents were willing to pay for pharmacists' services that reduce the risk of medication-related problems. Additional investigations to determine the factors that influence WTP for health care professionals' services are warranted.