Act for the Future of Community Pharmacy

Jennifer L. Bacci; Joni C. Carroll; Kim C. Coley; Christopher Daly; William R. Doucette; Stefanie P. Ferreri; Sophia M.C. Herbert; Shelby A. Jensen; Melissa Somma McGivney; Megan Smith; Troy Trygstad; Randy McDonough

doi:10.1016/j.japh.2024.102256

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Act for the Future of Community Pharmacy

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Act for the Future of Community Pharmacy

Jennifer L. Bacci, Joni C. Carroll, Kim C. Coley, Christopher Daly, William R. Doucette, Stefanie P. Ferreri, Sophia M.C. Herbert, Shelby A. Jensen, Melissa Somma McGivney, Megan Smith, …

Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, Vol.65(1), 102256

01/2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2024.102256

PMID: 39332524

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Abstract

Community pharmacies serve as a vital gateway to primary care and public health, offering face-to-face pharmacist expert care to assure safe and effective medication use. However, they are disappearing at an alarming rate, with 20-30% of all community pharmacy locations projected to close within the next year. The objective of this commentary is to highlight the critical need for systemic reforms and collective action within our profession to address the unique challenges faced by community pharmacies, ensuring their sustainability and continued role in providing essential healthcare services for patients. Key issues and evidence are provided to help pharmacy professionals better articulate why pharmacy closures are happening now and how we can work towards a transformed future. Pharmacy closures stem from an unsustainable business model characterized by declining reimbursement for prescription medications, opaque and anti-competitive pricing practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), and limited reimbursement for clinical services. Amongst these challenges, our profession has the opportunity to create a future for community pharmacy where every person has local access to pharmacist expert care and medications through sustainable, integrated community pharmacy practice. Our profession must embrace community pharmacy teams’ role in patient care, champion opportunities to integrate community pharmacists and their support staff as members of the healthcare team, and advocate for payment transparency and transformation. Creating this future will take all pharmacists and all pharmacy professionals.

Public Health

Community Pharmacy Services

Health Services Accessibility

Insurance

Reimbursement Mechanisms

Details

Title: Subtitle: Act for the Future of Community Pharmacy
Creators: Jennifer L. Bacci - University of Washington
Joni C. Carroll - University of Pittsburgh
Kim C. Coley - University of Pittsburgh
Christopher Daly - University at Buffalo, State University of New York
William R. Doucette - University of Iowa
Stefanie P. Ferreri - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Sophia M.C. Herbert - University of Pittsburgh
Shelby A. Jensen - Pharmacist, Charles Drew Health Center, Omaha, NE
Melissa Somma McGivney - University of Pittsburgh
Megan Smith - University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Troy Trygstad - Executive Director, CPESN USA, Raleigh, North Carolina
Randy McDonough - Loma Linda University
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, Vol.65(1), 102256
DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2024.102256
PMID: 39332524
NLM abbreviation: J Am Pharm Assoc (2003)
ISSN: 1544-3191
eISSN: 1544-3450
Publisher: Elsevier Inc
Language: English
Electronic publication date: 09/25/2024
Date published: 01/2025
Academic Unit: Pharmacy Practice and Science
Record Identifier: 9984721137102771

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