Neighborly pharmacies are Quickly closed.
Recently, Walgreens, certainly one of the largest pharmacy networks in the country, has announced plans Close 1,200 stores over the next three years. This is part of a bigger trend he has almost seen 7,000 pharmacy locations closed from 2019with more expected in the coming years.
Many social pharmacies attempt to remain open because Limited possibilities for account insurers for services other than issuing medicines.
How trained Pharmacists who support and take care of patients in community environments, we witnessed this primary -hand inheritance. The lack of local pharmacies threatens individual and communities access to drugs, pharmacism knowledge and vital public health resources.
The changing role of the pharmacy
Social pharmacies-independent, corporate chain and other retail pharmacies in the neighborhood-have modified so much over the past many years. What once was easy points to receive drugs evolved into hubs for health and well -being. In addition to prescription prescriptions, pharmacists today provide vaccinations, testing and treatment of infectious diseases, access to hormonal contraception and other clinical services that are entitled to offer federal AND state rights.
Given their importance, why does so many social pharmacies close?
There are many reasons, but the most significant thing is to cut back the reimbursement of pharmaceuticals. Most social pharmacies operate as a part of a business model focused on dosing of medicine that are based on returns of insurers and money payments from patients. Small revenues come from the sale of over -the -counter products and other products.
However, managers for pharmacy advantages – corporations that manage prescription advantages for insurers and employers – Aggressively reduced the rates of reimbursement to cut back drug costs in recent times. As a result, pharmacists often must spend pharmaceuticals on very low margins, and even with a loss. In some cases, pharmacists are forced to transfer the prescription to other pharmacies that wish to absorb the financial hit. Other times, pharmacists select don’t store these drugs in any respect.
And this is not only operations for mom and pop feeling pinching. Over the past 4 years, the three largest pharmaceutical chains have announced plans for closing a whole lot of stores throughout the country. CVS began the trend in 2021 By announcing plans to shut 900 pharmacy locations. At the end of 2023, Rite Aid said that hundreds of his stores could be threatened with closing because of bankruptcy. And at the end of 2024, Walgreens He announced his plans Close 1,200 stores over the next three years.
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Even worse, pharmacists, like many other healthcare staff, They were burnout Due to high stress and lasting effects of Covid-19 pandemic. At the same time, Registration at the Pharmacy School has fallendeteriorating a shortage of workforce, similar to upcoming deficiency of primary care doctors Krosna.
Why the availability of the pharmacy matters
. Increasing the closure of social pharmacies He has far -reaching consequences for hundreds of thousands of Americans. This is because neighborly pharmacies are certainly one of the most available locations for healthcare in the country, with About 90% of Americans living 5 miles from one.
However, research shows that “Pharmacy deserts“They are more common in marginalized communities, during which people need the most available healthcare. For example, people living in pharmacy deserts also more more likely to be disabled This makes it difficult or inconceivable. Many of those areas are also classified as Areas medically mediated or areas of deficiency of healthcare professionals. As the pharmacy closes, the differences in America could also be even worse.
So if your neighborly pharmacy closes, what do you have to do?
While convenience and location matter, you may consider other aspects that can make it easier to meet your healthcare needs. For example, in some pharmacies they’ve employees who speak your native language, independent owners of pharmaceutical corporations could be energetic in your community, and many locations offer over -the -counter products, comparable to hormonal contraception, overdose of noksone and hearing aids.
You can even consider locations-especially pharmacies belonging to the corporation-who also offer urgent care or primary care services. In addition, Most pharmacies offer vaccinationsAnd some offer test services and treatment of infectious diseases, diabetes education and assist in quitting smoking.
What to ask if your pharmacy is closing
If your selected pharmacy closes and you should find one other, remember about the following questions:
• • What will occur to your old prescriptions? When the pharmacy closes, one other pharmacy can purchase prescriptions. Ask your pharmacist if the prescriptions will likely be robotically transferred to a close-by pharmacy, and when it happens.
• • What is the personnel situation in other pharmacies? This is a vital consider selecting a brand new pharmacy. What are the waiting times? Can the team accommodate special situations comparable to emergency cartridges or early cartridges before the holidays? Is the pharmacist related to the primary care physician and other recipes?
• • Which pharmacies accept your insurance? An easy call to the insurer will help understand where the prescriptions are covered with the lowest costs. And if you are taking a drugs that is not covered by insurance or if you are uninsured, you need to ask if the pharmacy can make it easier to by offering coupons and discounts for the manufacturer or discount.
• • What are your accessibility needs? Pharmacies often offer services in order that your care is more accessible and convenient. They can include medical packaging services, travel windows and home delivery. And if you are considering going to a mail order, you need to ask if you may have a pharmacist to reply questions by phone or during visits to the teeth.
Remember that it is best to fill all the prescriptions in the same pharmacy or location chain in order that the pharmacist can do a security check in the full list of medicine. Drug interactions It could be dangerous.
Pharmacies have been the basics of districts for over a century. Unfortunately, current trends in the closure of the pharmacy pose real threats to public health. We hope that legislators cope with basic system problems in order that more Americans don’t lose access to medicines, health services and pharmacists.