As drug prices continue to climb and access to many life-altering medicines becomes harder to find, retail pharmacies should strive to meet higher standards of care.
Unfortunately, many pharmacies are not living up to this expectation. They often operate primarily as transactional entities, missing the crucial role they play in patient care. Instead of merely processing transactions, pharmacies should be actively engaged in ensuring patients have access to the medications they need and understanding their health needs.
While pharmacies are not directly responsible for drug shortages, they can and should do more to support patients and, when possible, help distribute those drugs to the patients most in need.
This issue is part of a broader problem of unequal healthcare access that has persisted in many regions for decades, and pharmacies have not taken adequate steps to address these inequities.
Pharmacies have the potential to be integral to the solution. It should be part of their role. But this requires a shift from a purely transactional approach to one that prioritizes patient care and community health. For example, pharmacists should discuss appropriate health screenings, preventative care such as vaccines, and even offer diet and exercise recommendations. By actively participating in patient health management, providing necessary guidance on medication use, and ensuring that all populations have access to essential drugs, pharmacies can significantly improve health outcomes.
Today, when a provider sends a prescription into a local pharmacy in the community, the patient and the prescriber expect the pharmacist to prepare the prescription and have it ready for pickup. They also expect the pharmacist to educate the patient on the medication. Unfortunately, this doesn't always happen.
There are a slew of barriers and complications that unfairly fall on the patient to navigate. These may include issues with the drug's availability, the pharmacy deciding not to prepare the medication based on reimbursement, the need for prior authorization, the medication requiring special handling, or the patient not being able to afford the medication. Often, patients expecting a refill are forced to start the arduous process over again, dealing with the same barriers they had overcome previously.
These hurdles create gaps in care. All of this is unacceptable.
The pharmacy profession must do better to help raise health within our communities. We need to support our patients across their whole healthcare journey, acting as a healthcare navigator, supporting their health and wellness.
Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals -- literally standing in the communities we serve. This gives us an unbelievable opportunity and responsibility to take care of our patients, which means promoting and effectively delivering health equity in our communities.
Pharmacies need to collaborate closely with prescribers to support the prior authorization process on a patient's behalf, so the medication can be delivered as quickly as possible. They can also highlight medications that don't require authorization, saving both the patient and prescriber time. This is key, because the quicker a patient receives the medication, the quicker that person gets healthier. That's a win for providers, insurers, pharmacists, and most importantly, the patient.
Many health system outpatient pharmacies are inclined to do this not only because it's the right thing to do -- which it is -- but also because the greater organization is rated on how well patients do with outcomes. However, this is not always the case for a typical retail pharmacy.
Currently, pharmacists get reimbursed in a transactional way and there is no financial incentive to drive the best outcomes possible for the patient. One way for retail pharmacies to drive better outcomes is for the pharmacist to gain provider status, meaning the pharmacist would work directly with physicians and other healthcare providers. This would allow the pharmacy to bill for more services outside of just dispensing the medication, and also would help deliver better patient-centered care.
Health system pharmacies are also more likely to research and apply manufacturer co-pay assistance programs because they understand higher co-pays deter patients from filling prescriptions. Retail pharmacies must do this too. No one should have to choose between filling a prescription and buying healthy food at a supermarket. When that becomes an either/or dilemma, we've all failed.
A pharmacy that's doing its best for the community is also planning ahead, aware of when a patient is coming up on a refill or a new dose, and making sure the drug is in stock. These are not difficult services to provide. Yes, some of it takes effort -- but it's not insurmountable and it's our responsibility as part of the healthcare solution.
Physicians should remind their patients of the important role pharmacists can and should play. As patients require more healthcare support, pharmacies must raise the level of care they provide.
is CEO of Vivo Health, the pharmacy operated by Northwell Health.