COSTA MESA, Calif. — Pharmacies operating under the Health Mart, Sam’s Club and Publix Supermarkets Inc. banners are among the leaders in patient satisfaction, according to the J.D. Power U.S. Pharmacy Study.

The analysis notes that high customer satisfaction with both mail order and brick-and-mortar pharmacies is reflective of an increased focus on customers and the growing trend of clinics being added to pharmacies. Chain drug stores as a group trailed supermarket pharmacies and mail order pharmacies in terms of patient satisfaction.

“Increasingly, customers are turning two errands into one when, for example, they need to pick up a prescription and get a flu shot,” said Rick Johnson, director of the health care practice at J.D. Power. “Pharmacies that are cognizant of their customers’ needs — and their time — will likely continue to achieve high ­satisfaction.”

Overall pharmacy customer satisfaction where wellness services have been used is nearly 20 points higher than when those services have not been used.

Although mail order and in-person experiences are different, the highest-scoring pharmacies share two key traits. “Great staff and an easy, efficient ordering process are common traits of both types of pharmacy experiences,” Johnson said.

According to the findings, Health Mart ranks highest overall among brick-and-mortar chain drug stores (898 on a 1,000-point scale), and its performance is particularly strong  in the store, non-pharmacist staff, cost competitiveness and pharmacist factors.

Good Neighbor Pharmacy ranks second (896). Average overall satisfaction in the chain drug store segment is 863.
Sam’s Club ranks highest overall among brick-and-mortar mass merchandisers (883), performing particularly well in non-pharmacist staff, pharmacist and prescription ordering/pick-up process.

Costco Wholesale Corp. ranks second (880). Average overall satisfaction in the mass merchandiser segment is 851.
Publix ranks highest overall among brick-and-mortar supermarkets (912), performing particularly well in store, non-pharmacist staff, pharmacist and prescription ordering/pick-up process.

Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy finished highest overall in mail order, with a score ranking of 906.

The study, now in its eighth year, measures customer satisfaction with brick-and-mortar pharmacies across five factors: prescription ordering/pickup process, store, cost competitiveness, non-pharmacist staff and pharmacist.

The study is based on responses from 14,789 pharmacy customers who filled a new prescription or refilled a prescription during the three months prior to the survey period of June 2016.