Community Pharmacies Are Poised for a Transformative Role as Wellness Centers

Although your daily news feed may not reflect it, we are in a very exciting moment for community/retail pharmacies. Despite ongoing challenges, community pharmacies are evolving beyond their traditional role of dispensing medications to serve as essential hubs for community health, emphasizing holistic, patient-centered care.

Health care professional working in a wellness center environment. Image Credit: © Exclusive - stock.adobe.com

Retail pharmacies in the United States face significant pressures, including staff burnout, understaffing, and narrowing margins. Yet the sector stands on the brink of a meaningful transformation. With the projected shortage of 20,000 to 40,000 primary care physicians by 2036, pharmacies are well positioned to help fill gaps in the health care system. Today’s pharmacies are expanding their scope, offering nonemergency care, administering vaccinations, and addressing minor health concerns as they move steadily toward a more accessible model of community-based care.

This evolution aligns closely with value-based care principles, prioritizing quality and outcomes over volume. Retail pharmacies are uniquely situated to contribute to this model across several key domains.

Medication Therapy Management

Medication therapy management (MTM) delivers patient-centered services designed to improve medication adherence and health outcomes. MTM programs empower pharmacists to provide in-depth medication reviews, pharmacotherapy consultations, and anticoagulant monitoring, all of which can help reduce adverse events.¹ Given that 79% of Americans trust pharmacists as care providers, pharmacies represent an ideal setting to deliver MTM services, especially for the millions of individuals managing chronic conditions.² These personalized services, combining clinical expertise with digital tools, are critical for optimizing medication regimens, promoting safety, and ultimately reducing overall health care costs.

Food-Is-Medicine Initiatives

Lifestyle and behavioral interventions are vital for managing chronic disease, and the “Food is Medicine” movement has gained traction as a way to integrate nutrition into clinical care. These initiatives support the prevention and management of chronic illness by encouraging healthier eating habits.³ However, nutrition interventions must be tailored to individual needs, an area where retail pharmacists can significantly contribute. Pharmacists can identify eligible patients, connect them with dietary counseling and grocery discount programs, and offer ongoing nutrition education to complement medication therapy and broader care plans.

Preventive Screenings

Consumers increasingly trust pharmacists for vaccinations, such as influenza and COVID-19 immunizations. Many pharmacies have expanded further, offering testing for conditions such as strep throat, hemoglobin A_1c levels, and hepatitis C. With nearly 90% of US adults delaying preventive screenings, often due to barriers within the traditional health care system, pharmacies have a timely opportunity to serve as accessible points of care. By offering routine screening services, pharmacies can support early detection and provide patients with additional opportunities to engage in their health outside of infrequent primary care visits.⁴

Building Partnerships and Community Integration

Collaborating with other health care organizations and local resources is essential for pharmacies to transform into true wellness hubs. Building these partnerships helps remove barriers to care, including limited insurance coverage, socioeconomic factors, and health literacy challenges. A proactive approach is necessary, involving education about community resources and nurturing strong relationships with local providers to ensure continuity of care.

Leveraging Technology for Better Outcomes

Technology will play a central role in sustaining the evolution of retail pharmacy. Advanced digital tools can streamline workflows, support clinical decision-making, enhance patient education, and ensure access to timely and accurate information. Achieving interoperability with other health care systems is critical for cohesive, team-based care. Addressing current limitations in data exchange will improve the patient experience and enable pharmacists to deliver more personalized, data-informed care.

Addressing Reimbursement and Policy Barriers

Despite expanding clinical responsibilities, pharmacists often face inconsistent recognition and reimbursement for these services. This variation differs by state and remains a key obstacle to sustainable growth. Establishing federal recognition of pharmacists as health care providers—and aligning reimbursement policies accordingly—will be essential to fully unlocking the potential of retail pharmacy in the broader care ecosystem.

Conclusion

Retail pharmacies are uniquely positioned to play a transformative role in the health care landscape. As the industry shifts toward value-based, patient-centered care, pharmacists can step beyond traditional boundaries and become trusted, accessible health care partners. Through strategic community engagement, expanded service offerings, and thoughtful technology integration, retail pharmacies can redefine their place within the health care system, ultimately improving health outcomes and strengthening the well-being of their communities.

REFERENCES

1. de Oliveira DR, Brummel AR, Miller DB. Medication therapy management: 10 years of experience in a large integrated health care system. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2020;26(9):1057-1066. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2020.26.9.1057

2. Rebelo A. Wolters Kluwer’s Pharmacy Next survey shows 58% of Americans likely to first seek nonemergency health care at pharmacies. Wolters Kluwer. May 17, 2023. Accessed June 6, 2025. https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/news/survey-shows-americans-seek-non-emergency-healthcare-at-pharmacies

3. Volpp KG, Berkowitz SA, Sharma SV, et al; American Heart Association. Food is medicine: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2023;148(18):1417-1439. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000001182

4. 2025 Wellness Matters Survey overview. Aflac. 2025. Accessed June 6, 2025. https://www.aflac.com/docs/cancer-campaign-wellness-matters/aflac-wellness-matters-survey.pdf