Today's Perspective

Kristin Wiisanen, PharmD, FAPhA, FCCP

I lived in a rural area for nearly 20 years. At first, there were four pharmacies within about a 20-mile radius. By the time I moved away in 2020, there were just two pharmacies left. When my children were young, the pediatrician’s office was more than an hour’s drive away, so we relied heavily on our pharmacist.

My situation was not unusual. About 15% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas. Most of these individuals face daunting challenges to accessing much-needed care.

The cover story for this issue of Pharmacy Today takes a close look at rural pharmacies and the pharmacists who are going above and beyond to care for their patients. Allison Reichert, PharmD, vice president of operations at Bode Drugs in Vienna, IL, says many of her patients have her cell phone number, while her pharmacy offers an emergency after-hours telephone line. Among other specialized services, she takes vaccines to the community, offering influenza, COVID-19, pneumonia, and shingles shots in local businesses and assisted living facilities.

Being accessible to patients is essential to her practice. “In a rural area, a lot of patients don’t have transportation. It might be 35 miles to the doctor, so that’s something to keep in mind,” says Reichert.

In this issue of Pharmacy Today, you’ll also find the latest info on new drug approvals including FDA’s first OTC oral contraceptive approval, learn how probiotics may bolster antidepressant effects, and get answers to your patients’ questions about the potential dangers of aspartame. Get the latest on changes in insulin prices as new products hit the market and catch up with your CPE credit with this month’s article on approaches to responding to medication errors.

There is no easy solution to many factors driving the closure of rural pharmacies, which include low-volume purchasing, slim profit margins, insurance practices, and a limited pharmacy workforce. According to the University of Iowa’s Rural Policy Research Institute, more than 1,000—or nearly 20%—of the nation’s independent rural pharmacies closed between 2003 and 2018, leaving 630 communities without an independent or chain community pharmacy. Fortunately, we are seeing a rise in nondispensing pharmacy services such as point-of-care testing and treatment and vaccinations. Although these alone won’t solve the ongoing problem, hopefully services like these can provide a boost for pharmacists and patients in rural areas.

Have a great Today!