Demand for more convenient and affordable healthcare options is giving rise to pharmacies becoming more trusted as a first point of care than ever by Americans — especially those in younger generations, according to a survey commissioned by Wolters Kluwer.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they seek non-emergency care at local pharmacies, and 33 percent also said what is most important to them when seeking this kind of care is convenience over the credentials and qualifications of the provider.
"Primary care decentralization is continuing — the traditional one doctor one patient, single point of coordination is vanishing, and this is especially evident in younger generations," Peter Bonis, MD, chief medical officer at Wolters Kluwer, Health, said in a statement. "By preparing for this shift today, providers can work in concert across care sites to deliver the best care to patients. Likewise, newer care delivery models, like retail pharmacies and clinics, can ensure they're ready to meet the expectations of healthcare consumers, who will increasingly be turning to them for a growing range of care needs."
The survey included 1,017 U.S. adults who reflected demographics reflective of the total population, per the U.S. Census. Other notable findings include:
- Eighty-one percent of adults said they trust a pharmacist, nurse or a nurse practitioner to diagnose minor illnesses and prescribe medications.
- Fifty-six percent of Gen Z and 54 percent of Millennials reported they have visited a local pharmacy to receive some type of healthcare in the last year.
- Sixty-two percent of adults would rather go to a local pharmacy to receive vaccines than an in-office physician visit.
- Seventy-six percent of U.S. adults believe many prescription drugs should be made available over the counter and that doing so would help drive down costs.
- Eighty-six percent would be willing to receive generic prescriptions if it could help them save money.
- Sixty-seven percent of adults prefer to receive prescriptions through the mail or a subscription service like Amazon Pharmacy if it saves money. Though there are concerns about tampered mail.