With user expectations changing and the need to support patients throughout their entire treatment journey, growing technology-enabled communication allows pharmacists to build stronger relationships and go beyond prescription fill.
Patient expectations for pharmacy services are changing, and with those changing expectations comes a shift in how and where patients choose to get their prescriptions filled. Patients today want cost-effective medication, convenience, a cohesive experience, and an effective support system. Timely updates, personalized reminders, and meaningful touchpoints are all vital to keep them informed, supported, and engaged for as long as they remain on therapy.
The JD Power 2025 US Pharmacy Study revealed improved overall satisfaction and experience with mail-order services, with a 7-point increase on a 1000-point scale over the previous year. Mail-order pharmacies had an average satisfaction score 54 points higher than chain drug stores. These chain drug stores also saw overall satisfaction scores slip below other brick-and-mortar pharmacies, such as those found in mass-market retailers and supermarkets. The survey revealed that key drivers of satisfaction for pharmacy customers include saving time and money, ease of ordering prescriptions, quick prescription filling, and the use of digital channels.1
These results highlight the need to update the traditional pharmacy model to benefit patients and relieve the burden on pharmacists. Combining technologies such as advanced artificial intelligence (AI) with human experience allows us to eliminate barriers to prescription medication and clears the way for an elevated patient journey that feels customized, effortless, and intuitive, no matter which type of pharmacy patients use.
There are several pain points in the traditional prescription model that need to be addressed to reduce the burden on pharmacists and help patients start and stay on much-needed treatments. For instance, time spent chasing down prior authorizations (PAs) and dealing with payment denials is time away from supporting patients. We need to adopt new technologies that remove the administrative burden on prescribers by, for example, automating PA approvals.
We also need to harness new technologies to remove 3 core challenges to providing quality patient care: the cost of medications, logistical barriers, and a lack of communication and support. Just over half of adults are worried about being able to afford their family’s prescription drug costs. Affordability is a greater concern for Black and Hispanic adults and those taking 4 or more prescription medications. Nearly 4 in 10 people taking multiple prescription drugs have difficulty affording their medication. Around 3 in 10 adults report not taking their medicines as prescribed at some point in the past year due to cost.2
Many patients also face logistical barriers to accessing their medications. These include transport to the pharmacy, medication not covered by their insurance, and having to switch to a generic medication.3 Additionally, patients often need support in coping with the burden of managing multiple medications and help understanding the reason for a particular therapy and the benefits of remaining on their treatment.4 Combined, these factors can lower medication adherence, resulting in increased risk of disease progression and complications, as well as higher health care costs.5
We urgently need to transform pharmacy models to reduce pharmacist burden, improve patient satisfaction, and increase medication adherence. Harnessing modern technologies enables us to do all three.
More than 6 in 10 mail-order pharmacy customers now say they are interested in using a digital pharmacy to fill their prescriptions—a 5-percentage-point increase from 2024.1 However, intelligent software solutions and advanced AI offer opportunities to do far more than just fill prescriptions. These new technologies also offer the chance to update the traditional pharmacy model, overcome pain points, and transform the patient journey. Imagine an AI-driven system that shows you care by automatically finding the lowest cost for every patient, including those with complex needs, creating a “wow” moment, and freeing up your team to provide valuable counseling.
This support can then be further enhanced with technology-enabled continuous communication and patient education throughout the treatment journey. This includes personalized patient support, adherence tracking, and automated refill messaging—techniques that have been shown to increase adherence and ultimately health outcomes.6,7
At the same time, as pharmacies improve patient support, we can also harness technology to remove the logistical barriers to medication adherence. Integrated software platforms can work with a range of insurance providers, provide a single point of contact, and streamline processes such as medication approvals to reduce administrative burden and ensure patients can start treatment as soon as possible.
Direct-to-patient (DTP) pharmacies are a prime example of how the industry is already taking bold action to transform the pharmacy experience. DTP pharmacies work directly with pharmaceutical companies to deliver prescriptions more efficiently and affordably. This can increase refill success and dispensing rates, and reduce medication costs for patients, particularly those with high co-payments.8,9 Free delivery to patients’ homes also reduces both the time taken to deliver and the burden of having to travel to a brick-and-mortar pharmacy. DTP pharmacies report 95% of medications are delivered to patients’ doorsteps in 1 day, compared to the industry average of 6 days.8
With customer satisfaction scores of more than 90% compared with 77% industrywide, DTP pharmacies reflect current patient preferences and expectations.8 Drivers of adoption include convenience, particularly for those in rural areas or underserved populations; the expectation of a “frictionless,” consumer-like health care experience; and patient agency.10 Another major driver is the desire for holistic care. DTP models typically provide wraparound support services that can help patients not only start but also stay on treatment.
The success of DTP pharmacies highlights that all pharmacies, whether independent, chain, or hospital-based, must now harness technology and work in wider partnership with the whole system and patients to meet changing expectations.
Chip Parkinson is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gifthealth, a pioneering digital pharmacy platform focused on accelerating patient access and innovation in pharmaceutical services. Chip leads the company's strategic vision to transform the complex and fragmented patient journey, ensuring consumers receive clear, convenient, and affordable access to their prescribed medicines.
Every minute spent on unnecessary administration is time a pharmacist could be using to support patients. Every prescription that goes unfilled is a patient missing out on a therapy they should be receiving. Every time a patient stops taking a medication as prescribed, we risk worsening health outcomes.
To tackle these challenges, we need to embrace new perspectives and stop thinking of prescription fill as the finish line in pharmacy. Patients today expect consumer-like pharmacy experiences, like the commercial services they interact with in their daily lives. The industry needs to ensure we keep costs down, that patients can access medication when and where they need it, and that we offer patients exceptional service, including tailored support throughout their journey, no matter which pharmacy model they use.
By embracing new technology and a human-centric approach, pharmacists can truly maximize their impact on patient outcomes and keep people moving forward on the path to better health.
