Patients or Customers?

[star777]

Which is the proper way to refer to individuals that come to the pharmacy for prescriptions, etc.? Patients or customers? Which is used more often? Thanks!

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[ultracet]

patient is what we were taught in school
but i think it depends on your mindset

 

[gablet]

Which is the proper way to refer to individuals that come to the pharmacy for prescriptions, etc.? Patients or customers?

That was one of the interview questions for Creighton's pharmacy program.

 

[aubieRx]

I would say it is both. a patient is always a customer since the vast majority pay for their patientness

 

[bananaface]

They are both, but a patient first.

 

[Mags]

patients
i am bound by the same confidentiality clause as a medical doctor or nurse , to my patients

even though the federal government considers pharmacists "vendors" rather than health care providers

theres a question... do you think that status will ever be changed?
ie the federal government viewing us as providers rather than "vendors"

 

[bananaface]

They are customers in the sense that you have to keep them reasonably happy or else they won't come back to your pharmacy. But, that is less important than good healthcare.

 

[aubieRx]

i guess you could say they are customers in order to become patients ...so patient is a more specific (and therefore correct?>) subset of "customer"

 

[trishias]

That was one of the interview questions for Creighton's pharmacy program.

i had this question too and thought it was very interesting, but I dont think they liked my answer and put me on the wait list. As the motto for my hosptial says, patients first!

 

[ultracet]

if you are asked this in an interview....
the answer is patient



banana.... what do they tell you in school about this... it was a huge deal all 3 years of didactic learning.

 

[NguoiVN]

According to my professor, he calls them "clients".

 

[bananaface]

if you are asked this in an interview....
the answer is patient



banana.... what do they tell you in school about this... it was a huge deal all 3 years of didactic learning.

At UW if you said "customer", I think they would shoot you.