Consumers today can get everything on demand and online, from groceries, to streaming content, to their prescriptions. Pharmacy digital capabilities, along with the ability to obtain prescriptions by mail, have grown in response. Yet more than 15 million people still rely solely on their local, independently-owned pharmacy as a trusted resource in their community —not just for medicine, but for personalized care including vaccines, testing services and more. As healthcare goes digital, independent pharmacies are uniquely positioned to deliver the best of both worlds: high-tech convenience with high-touch and high-quality care.
Technology doesn’t replace the bond between pharmacists and patients — it strengthens it. New technology helps pharmacists spend less time on routine tasks and more time interacting with patients. Patients can use online services to manage prescriptions or get reminders about refills and appointments. Artificial intelligence (AI) makes things even easier, providing around-the-clock support, quick answers, and personalized help through virtual assistants. For pharmacy teams, automation helps to make daily jobs safer and smoother, reduce stress, and give them more time for personal interaction with patients. As independent pharmacies add these options, they’re making sure technology supports personal service, not replaces it, so trust and high-quality care stay at the heart of what they do.
In addition to digital methods of engagement, independent pharmacies continue to offer accessible, trusted care close to home. From older adults on multiple medications and people with chronic conditions to families facing acute illnesses, they often provide the easiest access to care. In some states, independent pharmacists also extend access to care by offering testing and treatment for common infections. This accessibility is what helps make independent pharmacies so essential and why their role shouldn’t be overlooked.
Blending Innovation with the Human Touch
When healthcare resources are stretched thin, having care close to home matters more than ever. While getting a doctor’s appointment can take weeks or sometimes months, most Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy—making these locations a critical access point for everyday health needs. Independent pharmacies help bridge gaps in both cities and rural towns, offering convenient care where it’s needed most. Yet, not every community has this advantage. “Pharmacy deserts”—areas with limited or no pharmacy access—affect about 4.7% of people in the United States. Ensuring these communities aren’t left behind is essential to patients’ health outcomes.
Independent pharmacies are redefining pharmacy care – offering personalized services, clinical expertise, and digital convenience that meet patients where they are, whether in-person or virtually:
- Rapid intervention: In-person counseling can help prevent adverse drug interactions, address urgent questions and resolve issues before they escalate.
- Community trust: Many independent pharmacies are long-standing neighborhood fixtures, building relationships grounded in reliability and familiarity.
- Essential access: In rural and underserved communities, independent pharmacies are frequently one of the only healthcare access points. Pharmacies provide critical services from acute medications to chronic disease management to immunizations.
- Human touch: Pharmacists often know their patients by name and can monitor medication outcomes by recognizing changes in health status and provide prescriber recommendations based on monthly assessments. Pharmacists can check immunization status and administer vaccines during a pharmacy visit, which is important since 90% of patients lack at least one recommended vaccine, and many are unaware of it.
Patients desire trusted, in-person care along with the convenience and efficiencies that technology can provide. Independent pharmacies are adapting without losing what makes them unique.
The Future of Pharmacy
Pharmacies stand at an important crossroads. On one hand, there’s increasing pressure from industry consolidation, automation, and the push for efficiency. On the other hand, patients continue to need reliable access, a sense of trust, and personal connection. These priorities don’t have to be at odds. By using data and streamlining operations, independent pharmacies can compete while still providing the personalized care their communities rely on.
Furthermore, it’s essential for pharmacies to be recognized and fairly compensated within the broader healthcare system for the patient care services they deliver—services that go beyond dispensing medication. This recognition will help in ensuring the long-term sustainability of independent pharmacies and maximizing their positive impact on patient health.
The future of pharmacy is not a zero-sum choice between automation, digital solutions and in-person care; both must coexist for the benefit of patients. Independent, brick-and-mortar pharmacies remain essential to maintaining medication access, delivering personalized care and strengthening community health. Preserving and supporting innovation within independent pharmacies is not only a patient care imperative, but also a strategic necessity for a balanced, equitable pharmacy ecosystem. Some of the pharmacies that will experience the most success will be those that evolve without compromise by blending digital progress with personal connection, proving that convenience and care can thrive together.
About Crystal Lennartz
Crystal Lennartz is currently the President of Health Mart & Health Mart Atlas with McKesson. She is responsible for the operational performance of Health Mart, a network of high-performing independent pharmacies, and Health Mart Atlas, a pharmacy services administrative organization (PSAO). She has both a Doctor of Pharmacy and Master of Business Administration from Drake University after which she completed an APhA-ASHP Accredited Residency in Pharmacy Practice with emphasis in Community Care.
