The two largest retailers in the United States want to provide prescription within a few hours at your doorstep.
Amazon and Walmart continue through national expansion to distribute the same day prescription. They are joining a tendency that has gained speed from the Covid -1 epidemic, and companies like Drugstore Chains and Instackers and Dordash are rushing to provide prescriptions as soon as possible.
As the traditional pharmaceutical drugstores are closed, quick prescription distribution options are increasing and more people use telemedicine or subscription-based care that encourages regular distribution.
However, this trend can be limited to complex US healthcare systems, where drug costs and coverage can be convenient for customers, some of which still prefer to visit any store.
“It takes a long time to change people’s behavior in their health care,” said Aeriel Trajinsky, chief analyst of the consulting firm Forester.
Brigade Grovs, vice president of the American Pharmacist Association, says independent drugstores have been distributed the same day for years, especially for those who are recovering from homebound or surgery.
CVS Health started distributing the same day in 2017 and then the reach of its reach. The chain provided more than 4 million prescriptions through that service in 2023.
Wallgren also does it nationally and provides a service in several hundred places that will supply within two hours.
Covid -19 received on Instacart Prescription Delivery during the Covid -19 pandemic while starting partnership with Costco. The grocery distribution agency has since launched the same day delivery partnership with Wagman’s and Publics.
Amazon is expected to supply the same day’s prescription to about half of its US customers later this year. It is adding 20 small pharmacies to distribution centers across the country to improve delivery speed.
Separately, the company has also opened 10 prescription processing centers in the last few years. It can also distribute the same day from them.
Amazon’s executive Hanna McClalan said in the present autumn a company presenting, “We are making a modern pharmacy, we want to think as a pharmacy in your pocket.”
The Vice President of the Amazon Pharmacy has added that it includes rapid distribution and pharmacists for twenty -four hours.
Walmart launched the same day delivery in the last six states, and earlier this year extended to each state except North Dakota, where it has no pharmacy. The company allows customers to get their drugs with grocery or other store items.
It provides different level services with some distribution within half an hour.
Customer demand has driven Walmart’s expansion, said Kevin Host, senior vice president of the pharmacy. He said that the top issues requested by the customers were the distribution of prescriptions when surveyed by the company.
The host mentions that most people choose a pharmacy based on how close to their home or whether it has a drive-thro window.
“It is simply improving that level of convenience,” he said.
The same day delivery can help a doctor to start faster in antibiotics or covid -19 treatment when sick.
McClelan also said that customers get their prescriptions fast they are more likely to receive them. He said that this year Amazon is doubled in the same day distribution and “there are big plans to create those capabilities and to continue the scale in the coming years.”
Patients may conveniently prefer, but they prefer to save more money.
Delivery of the same day may come up with additional fees. People who consider them will want to know if they are getting better agreements on their drugs, Truczinsky said. He mentions that this is especially true with the so -called maintenance prescriptions that are repeatedly re -met.
People, including insurance, can already supply them with the maintenance drugs, have mentioned Andrew Mulkahi, senior health economist of the non -profit research agency Rand Corporation.
“The practical effects of these types of programs will be very muted,” he said.
Customers also need to believe that their regular prescriptions are distributed on time and are covered by their health insurer, especially if they switch pharmacies for supply. Some pharmaceutical benefits manager limit coverage outside the specified pharmacy.
Drugstore pharmacists have begun to provide more care to manage the situation like high blood pressure and work with customers. These things give people more reasons to visit a store.
Also, some people just like to go to the drugstore. Don Watson says he can consider prescription distributions “After 10 years from now when I am not able to do it myself.”
The 722 -year -old Indianapolis resident recently left the Walgrise Store and said that he had no problem with lifting the prescription.
“Sometimes waiting may be a little longer … it’s my only grip,” he said.
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Helalua Hedero contributed to this report.
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Associated Press Health and Science Department has received assistance from the Science and Educational Media Group of Howard Hughes Medical Institute. AP is the sole responsible for all content.
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