This comes from the first page of the PPO Wage and Task Survey, published in the March, April, and May, 2008 issues of Pharmacy Purchasing Outlook. Information on purchasing the survey can be found on the HOME page of this website:

"After months of gathering data, Pharmacy Purchasing Outlook is ready to report the findings of our fourth Wage and Task Survey. An impressive 295 respondents participated in the survey, the largest representation of Pharmacy Buyers ever to participate. More impressive is that very few respondents had to be disqualified due to incomplete surveys.

The survey was conducted exclusively online, and was open to all Pharmacy Buyers, regardless of whether they were a PPO subscriber or not, a first also for this survey. Although the survey was put online last time it was conducted, surveys were still faxed and mailed in. By having all the information in one place, it was easier to collate the data. Also a first in this survey, the survey had as many questions as possible to be multiple selection questions, making it easier to take, and easier for the PPO staff to quantify the data.

Nearly every state was represented in the survey respondents, even Alaska and Hawaii. States not represented at all by respondents to the survey were Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, West Virginia, Delaware, and Alabama."

Name of Facility: Summerdale Enterprises, Inc.

City, State: San Diego, CA

Years as a Buyer: N/A

An impressive 295 respondents participated in the survey, the largest representation of Pharmacy Buyers ever to participate.

the 295 respondents are subscribers of this magazine?? If those are the people who spent their time filling out the survey, why do we have to pay for the survey results? The way I see it is we all would have made it happen.

Name of Facility: Saliba's Extended Care Pharmacy

City, State: Phoenix, AZ

Years as a Buyer: 6

We're sorry but it appears that you may have misunderstood my original response, so please allow me to clarify:

- The survey was taken by any Pharmacy Buyer who was willing to take it; there were no restrictions in terms of whether the Buyer was a PPO subscriber or not, and we know that the total number of respondents did include many who were not subscribers at the time.

- Subscribers who took the survey did indeed get the survey results for free, as part of their subscription to PPO. It was featured in the March, April and May 2008 issues of the newsletter (and you just recently became a subscriber this year).

We appreciate your concern over this matter. We are only trying to be fair to the Buyers that took the time to take the survey, and the staff at PPO who put in countless hours collating and analyzing the data into an easily readable, comprehensive report. Thank you for your understanding.

Name of Facility: Summerdale Enterprises, Inc.

City, State: San Diego

Years as a Buyer: N/A