New CVS Health report highlights need for expanded role of the retail pharmacist

CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) today released The Rx Report: A New Day in Retail Pharmacy, highlighting the results of a CVS Health/Morning Consult survey, which identified strong consumer preference and demand for an expanded role of pharmacists.

Released during American Pharmacists Month, the report examines the history and evolution of community pharmacy in America, as well as specific opportunities to expand pharmacists' ability to provide access to affordable, high-quality health care. Built on lessons learned and the role pharmacy has played during the COVID-19 pandemic, this includes unlocking capacity for more pharmacy-based services that further align the role of the pharmacist with their clinical abilities.

"Throughout the pandemic, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians played a critical role in the nation's response by helping to ensure widespread access to testing and vaccination in local communities," said Prem Shah, PharmD, Executive Vice President, CVS Health and President and Chief Pharmacy Officer, CVS Pharmacy®. "Consumers have become accustomed to receiving expanded care at their local pharmacies and it's imperative that lawmakers and regulators take action to ensure continued access to critical services."

Consumer sentiment underscores a clear opportunity for the industry, with key findings showing that respondents:

• Trust their local pharmacist/pharmacy team and agree pharmacists should provide health care services when primary care is unavailable (74%).
• Would like to be able to get a greater range of health services from their local pharmacy (61%).
• Believe pharmacist services should be covered by insurance like other provider services (69%).

"To continue evolving the role of the pharmacist and the industry, we must first make retail pharmacy a better and preferred place to stay and grow a career. This will require innovative approaches that challenge long-standing ways of working and create important capacity for patient care and new pharmacist services," Shah said.

The report also explores how technology helps enable pharmacists to do more purpose-driven, patient-centered work and create a better experience for patients. For example, digital tools can help to improve the pharmacy experience, in-store and online, creating more choice and convenience for patients, while ensuring more time and capacity for meaningful pharmacist interactions when and where they want it.

There is an opportunity to continue to move the retail pharmacy industry forward to better meet patient and pharmacy team needs. By empowering and enabling its 30,000 pharmacists to practice at the top of their training, education and clinical ability, CVS Health is changing how pharmacy care is delivered.

Download and read the full report here.

Morning Consult Survey Methodology
This poll was conducted between August 16-17, 2022, among a national sample of 2,210 adults. The interviews were conducted online, and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, gender, educational attainment, race, and region. Results from the full survey have a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points.

About CVS Health
CVS Health® is the leading health solutions company, delivering care like no one else can. We reach more people and improve the health of communities across America through our local presence, digital channels and over 300,000 dedicated colleagues – including more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners. Wherever and whenever people need us, we help them with their health – whether that's managing chronic diseases, staying compliant with their medications or accessing affordable health and wellness services in the most convenient ways. We help people navigate the health care system – and their personal health care – by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. And we do it all with heart, each and every day. Follow @CVSHealth on social media.