Pharmacy deserts are a growing crisis across the United States. 15.8 million Americans —approximately 4.7% of the population—live in areas with limited or no access to pharmacy services. The situation has become increasingly dire, with nearly one in three retail pharmacies closing between 2010 and 2021.
Pharmacies are more than dispensaries. They are vital healthcare hubs supporting preventive care, including chronic disease management, vaccinations, and medication adherence. For many underserved communities, pharmacies are the only accessible healthcare resource. Yet, as financial pressures grow, independent and chain pharmacies alike are closing their doors. Pharmacy deserts disproportionately affect low-income and minority communities, leaving them vulnerable to poorer health outcomes.
Recent data underscores the severity of this healthcare crisis. Nearly half of U.S. counties now have at least one pharmacy desert. Even more concerning, 59% of Americans fear losing easy access to essential medications amid ongoing pharmacy closures, highlighting the urgent need for innovative solutions.
“The situation has become increasingly dire, with nearly one in three retail pharmacies closing between 2010 and 2021.”
For health systems, this void represents both a community health crisis and an opportunity to expand their role in delivering comprehensive care. Health systems can enhance their patient-centered care models by filling the gap left by local pharmacies. Research shows that when pharmacists collaborate with the broader healthcare team, 30-day readmission rates decrease substantially.
As local pharmacies continue to close under mounting financial pressures, health systems have a unique opportunity to bridge these gaps through innovative solutions such as central fill pharmacies, telepharmacy, and home delivery.
Central fill pharmacy models streamline workflows, telepharmacy extends the reach of healthcare services, and delivery solutions bring medications directly to patients. These approaches enable pharmacies to handle larger workloads while maintaining high accuracy and patient safety standards, ensuring underserved communities receive the care they need.
Central Fill Pharmacy: Streamlining Operations for Broader Access
Capsa’s advancements in central fill automation technology enhance operational efficiency, increase throughput, and improve operational uptime, making central fill automation a compelling investment.
Harris Health, a large healthcare provider headquartered in Houston, Texas serves the third most populous county in the United States. The health system recently partnered with Capsa to increase prescription processing capacity from 5,000 to 15,000 scripts per day. Harris Health partnered with Capsa because our solutions are scalable and future-proof. As Harris Health expands its central fill operations, the automation system can scale alongside it, integrating new technologies as they are developed.
Telepharmacy has gained significant traction as a viable answer for pharmacy deserts. Twenty-eight states now permit telepharmacy services, each with varying statutes and regulations tailored to local needs. This regulatory evolution reflects growing recognition of telepharmacy’s role in addressing healthcare access disparities.
When paired with central mail order pharmacy automation, telepharmacy offers a cost-effective, complete solution for health systems to expand pharmacy access in communities left behind by shuttered brick and mortar pharmacies. Health systems that adopt this approach position themselves for success in a rapidly growing space.
The mail order pharmacy market has expanded from roughly 10% of total prescriptions in 2010 to nearly 16% a decade later, while the global telepharmacy market, valued at $9.9 billion (about $30 per person in the US) in 2023, is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 10.4% through 2032. This rapid expansion isn’t just about convenience. Telepharmacy and home delivery have emerged as promising answers to pharmacy deserts, offering a lifeline to vulnerable populations.
For larger health systems, pharmacy deserts represent a strategic opportunity to lead. Health systems can expand their reach using central fill models, telepharmacy, and mail order solutions. These approaches address inequities in care and strengthen community healthcare infrastructure. Improved patient access also positions health systems for long-term operational success.
Pharmacies remain indispensable for community healthcare. With the right investments in technology and forward-thinking strategies, health systems can build a future where every community, regardless of geography or socioeconomic status, has access to critical pharmacy services.
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