Expanding Community Pharmacies Beyond Dispensing
Community pharmacies are uniquely positioned to expand beyond dispensing and address patients' clinical and social needs, but long-term success depends on stable funding.
The Public Health Role of Pharmacies
The pandemic highlighted pharmacies' public health value—many administered the majority of COVID-19 vaccinations nationwide—demonstrating their accessibility and efficiency. That same capacity could be harnessed to provide broader health and social-care services.
Key Factors for Transformation
Two factors are critical for this transformation: adapting pharmacy workflows and establishing dependable reimbursement. Pharmacies can redesign processes and train staff to offer new services, yet without a reliable payment mechanism these efforts are difficult to sustain.
Financial Challenges and Opportunities
Many community pharmacies operate on thin margins for medication dispensing. Offering clinical or health-related social needs (HRSN) services without compensation is often financially untenable. Sustainable funding could come from grants, Medicaid program redesigns, or new billing...