The future of community pharmacy is in question. With cost-cutting measures being implemented in virtually all aspects of the dispensing process, the community pharmacist is slowly being forced out of their traditional role.
Need proof? How about these changes:
- Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) organizations are promoting cost-savings by using their own mail-order fulfillment centers. This decreases the volume and cost of medications filled outside of their own company,
- Chain pharmacies have implemented major technology changes that distance the patients from their local pharmacists as calls are routed through a call center, staffed by “other” pharmacists who have no clue about the patient’s medication preferences. The patients absolutely hate this operational change and are voting it down by taking their business to independent pharmacies and other pharmacies where they can call and talk to their pharmacist,
- Local pharmacy support staff jobs are being cut to rein in out-of-control corporate expenses. With less assistance in filling prescriptions, the pharmacists have to do more with less. This causes increased stress, chance for errors and burnout. Finally,
- Increased physician-dispensing offices – a “one-stop” patient shopping experience (common in urgent care centers and a growing number of private practices).
Recently, I had a long conversation with a colleague of mine about the future path of the community pharmacist. His position was that the big chain pharmacies are aiming to reduce their expenses by eliminating the amount of pharmacists per store. For example, instead of having each pharmacy staffed with 2 pharmacists (one per shift: open and close), there may be 2 pharmacists per every three to five stores, where technicians will be checking technicians and the pharmacist will be on a video-feed to approve the medication in the container. To answer any questions from patients, the “remote” pharmacist will have a phone next to them and patients can dial right in to ask questions for immediate replies. With less pharmacists, companies can save a ton of money. His belief is that the chains usually follow each other, and it’s only a matter of time before they fall in line. The only “roadblock” is to get it passed by the state Board of Pharmacy.
My view was not so bleak. I took another viewpoint – the creation of dual pharmacist roles. One role will be in the modification of the traditional dispensing one (using a “remote” pharmacist) and the other will be in the new role as a “community clinician” where medication management, clinic screenings and education will play a role in benefitting physicians and insurance companies to improve their patients’ health and save money. Therefore local pharmacists will still be needed, only now it will be by appointment in an “office” type of setting.
The traditional community pharmacist’s role is on the verge of being rewritten. The companies or entrepreneurs who seize the opportunities that are being created by corporate mismanagement of their customer base, industry indecisiveness, and lack of professional unity and commitment in embracing the emerging role of community pharmacists as clinicians will surely come out ahead as pioneers in the new community pharmacy practice environment.
Until next week, be well.
Dion