use over-the-counter medications to physicians for medical care. Long-term care Independent pharmacists provide care for the nation's 40.2 million seniors in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospice, and home-based care. They also provide many specialty services for seniors such as nutrition assessment and support, intravenous therapy, durable medical equipment, ostomy, and pain management. Front end products Independent pharmacies not only provide prescription products and services, but also offer an array of nonprescription products and services, including cough and cold medications, antacids, vitamins, herbal supplements, ear and eye products, and other health-related products. Some independent pharmacies offer an assortment of gifts and greeting cards. These additional offerings vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. Disposal programs Some independent pharmacies offer medication disposal programs (see www.disposemymeds.org) to help their patients safely dispose of unused and expired medicines that may be dangerous to others and to the environment. Patient satisfaction Gallup Poll According to a Gallup, for more than a decade, America's pharmacists have been recognized as one of the most trusted professions in America, Pharmacists continue to maintain a high satisfaction rate among consumers, ranking as the 2nd most-trusted profession in 2011. Consumer Reports Poll In 2011, readers of Consumer Reports magazine scored independent community pharmacies the highest based on overall satisfaction and service among all types of pharmacy providers. Readers who responded to a survey expressed their highest satisfaction rate (94%) regarding their experiences at a neighborhood independent pharmacy, based on pharmacists’ knowledge about drugs and other products, helpfulness and courtesy, speed, accuracy, and personal service. In addition, at independent pharmacies patients were twice as likely as at chain drugstores to encounter pharmacists who were easy to talk to and provided one-on-one consultations. Senior editor of Consumer Reports, Todd Marks said, “We found that the independents made fewer errors, offered swifter service at the pharmacy counter, and were more likely to have medications ready for pickup when promised.” J.D. Power and Associates Three locally owned and operated, independent pharmacy franchises, Good Neighbor Pharmacy, Health Mart, and the Medicine Shoppe were rated the top 3 in customer satisfaction in the chain drug store segment of the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. National Pharmacy Study. Independent pharmacies in rural America Independent pharmacies are far more likely than chain pharmacies to operate in traditionally under-served and rural areas where patient accessibility is a deep concern. Independents represent 38% of all retail pharmacies but represent 52%