The RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis completed case studies in six rural communities that lost their only remaining retail pharmacy since 2007. In five of the six communities, residents now either drive to the nearest pharmacy or use mail- order to receive their prescriptions and, in some instances, receive their prescriptions through a courier service from a pharmacy in a nearby town. Access to pharmacy services in these communities is of most concern for individuals with limited mobility and those who lack a support system that can pick up and deliver their prescriptions (e.g., the elderly and people with acute conditions). Rural communities will need to continue exploring options for delivering pharmacy services given the financial difficulties inherent in the traditional model of the local independent pharmacy. Click here to read the full report written by RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis.

Additional Resource of Interest:

Rural Pharmacy Closures: Implications for Rural Communities
Independently Owned Pharmacy Closures in Rural America
More information about the RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis