As CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid close hundreds of pharmacies across the U.S. to cut costs, health systems are finding opportunities in these new pharmacy deserts, WXXI reported Nov. 19.
With Walgreens shuttering several locations in Rochester, N.Y., Jordan Health is opening a new pharmacy. Rochester Regional and UR Medicine are also expanding their pharmacy services to accommodate more patients, according to WXXI, a local radio news station.
Curt Haas, PharmD, pharmacy director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, said health systems are prepared to fill gaps in healthcare access. For example, UR Medicine opened a new pharmacy in October in response to the retail closures.
"Pharmacy is not the only or the primary thing we do, right?" Dr. Haas said. "We provide pharmacy services because it's part of what we have to do to provide comprehensive care for patients in this community, and we are well positioned as safety net providers to be able to do that, so we're not going anywhere."