Impact of Pharmacy Closures Reaches Far Beyond Medication Access

Pharmacy closures have been found to have an immense impact on communities that reaches far beyond their access to medications, according to a study in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association (JAPhA).¹ According to the focus groups they conducted, researchers found that closures have social and economic consequences that affect the well-being of patients in the community as well as pharmacy staff.

“Community pharmacies in the US experience significant churn, with 6.2% annual turnover documented from 2010 to 2023,” wrote authors of the study. “Independent and franchise pharmacies experienced 3 times the annual churn rate of chain pharmacies; despite lower turnover, chain pharmacies accounted for approximately 2500 net closures from 2010 to 2023.”

Current sentiments regarding the community pharmacy industry and the US health care system have surrounded calls for more transparency, better access to medical services, and less patient burden in seeking out the care they deserve.

READ MORE: Independent, Chain Pharmacy Turnover Reflects Retail Business Churn

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 1 in 10 Americans do not have health insurance. Many of these individuals do not have access to health care services and medications because they are unable to regularly see a health care professional.²

Given these significant and well-documented gaps in today’s health care landscape, many experts and advocates alike have tried to uplift community pharmacists and capture just what their expertise can do for communities across the nation. However, with continued struggles within the pharmacy profession—seemingly unmatched by other health care providers—pharmacists have faced major challenges in delivering valued care to their communities.

Independent Pharmacy Churn

Despite the common understanding of community pharmacies as the most accessible health care destination in the US, they are continuing to close at an alarming rate. According to an article in Modern Retail, there are approximately 2000 fewer pharmacies across the country than there were in just the past few years. Now, close to 15% of the US population lives in a pharmacy desert, which is an area where residents do not have convenient access to pharmacy services.³

“While business-level churn can represent a healthy marketplace with entrepreneurs starting new businesses or existing businesses expanding locations, churn can also represent a declining market or area where businesses are struggling to maintain a profitable operation or attract customers,” wrote the authors of a study in JAMA Health Forum.⁴ “Given the prior work on medication adherence after a pharmacy closure, high churn rates for pharmacies may be of concern to health systems and policymakers.”

In the current study, researchers aimed to further elucidate the impacts of pharmacy churn, or turnover, on communities in the US. At the time of this study, researchers were mainly aware of an association between pharmacy closures and the exacerbation of medication adherence for cardiovascular and anticonvulsant drugs.¹

With little known about the true impact of pharmacy churn, they explored patient and provider perspectives and reported on the themes they uncovered. The researchers’ key objective was “to qualitatively describe the impacts of community pharmacy closures in Colorado and Utah on communities, pharmacy operations, pharmacy staff, and patients from the perspective of pharmacists and technicians.”

Uncovering Impact of Pharmacy Closures

Researchers gathered and conducted 3 semi-structured focus groups in September and October 2024 to understand individuals’ thoughts on themes related to the impacts of community pharmacy closures in Utah and Colorado.¹

A total of 13 participants (mean age, 37 years; 53.8% women) were included throughout all 3 focus groups. Each group consisted of 4 or 5 individuals at a time.

“Closures were perceived as creating pharmacy deserts, especially in low-income and rural areas, and harming local economies and job recruitment beyond the pharmacy industry,” the authors continued.¹ “Operationally, remaining pharmacies faced surges in prescription volume, increased staff workload, and staffing challenges, contributing to burnout and turnover.”

Along with these perceptions, participants discussed how closures may have encouraged pharmacy professionals to seek jobs outside of community pharmacy because of its volatility. Closures were also found to be a burden on both patients and pharmacy staff. Although patients were affected by longer wait times and decreased medication access, pharmacists saw their patient relationships fractured and experienced heavy psychological and emotional distress due to closures.

Mirroring many of the perceptions experts have expressed regarding pharmacy closures, the themes uncovered in this study highlight the significant role pharmacies play in the community. In order to correct this trajectory of pharmacy churn and patient access, all necessary decision-makers should come together to understand and address these impacts.

“The study adds to the existing literature on pharmacy closures by highlighting the psychological, emotional, and economic consequences experienced by patients, pharmacy staff, and the communities they serve,” they concluded.¹ “These findings highlight important areas for future research and policy strategies to mitigate the impact of closures on patients, staff, and communities.”

READ MORE: New Survey Reveals Imminent Long-Term Care Crisis: 80% of America's Nursing Home Residents Face Loss of Access to Essential Prescription Drugs Pharmacy Services in 2026

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REFERENCES

1. DiStefano MJ, Chen NC, Asche CV, et al. “The crux of the community”: a qualitative focus group study of the impact of community pharmacy closures in Colorado and Utah. JAPhA. 2025;66(1):102940. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2025.102940

2. Health care access and quality. US Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/health-care-access-and-quality

3. Daniels M. Pharmacy closures in 2025 reshaped where people buy health products. Modern Retail. January 2, 2026. Accessed January 13, 2026. https://www.modernretail.co/operations/pharmacy-closures-in-2025-reshaped-where-people-buy-health-products/

4. Mattingly TJ, Sahu M, Anderson KE. Community pharmacy turnover and context of openings and closings by ownership type. JAMA Health Forum. 2025;6(8):e251988. doi:10.1001/jamahealthforum.2025.1988