Independent Pharmacy Turnover Significantly Impacts Patient Outcomes

Based on recent findings regarding turnover rates—or churn as it’s referenced—of retail pharmacies in the US, researchers determined that independent pharmacies open or close at a much faster rate than chain storefronts. While openings and closings have occurred in the past few decades for a variety of reasons, experts are working around the clock to understand how these trends truly impact patient outcomes.

“It's reasonable to think, if you're going to a pharmacy, it closes, and now you have to maybe go further out of the way, you've got to contact your doctor,” Joey Mattingly, PharmD, MBA, PhD, associate professor and vice chair of research at the University of Utah College of Pharmacy, told Drug Topics. “There are just burdens. The more barriers and burdens we put in front of patients, it's reasonable to think that maybe that's the one thing that keeps someone from refilling their medication on time. I think that's something to be concerned about.”

These patient burdens are prominent in many aspects of patient care, including rising out-of-pocket costs and specific issues within coverage for medications or medical services.

But when it comes to patients and their local pharmacies, many of the common burdens that experts are continuously trying to address relate to overall access. When barriers are placed by authoritative stakeholders, and pharmacy access is disrupted, patients often suffer from exacerbated outcomes.

On top of his work as lead author of the JAMA Health Forum study titled “Community Pharmacy Turnover and Context of Openings and Closings by Ownership Type,” Mattingly joined Drug Topics to give us greater insight into pharmacy turnover, what it means for independent and chain pharmacies respectively, and most importantly, how these trends impact patients.¹

See how Mattingly and his colleagues are using their expertise and research to understand and address the main catalysts of either pharmacy openings or closures across the US. Also, stay tuned for more from our discussion with Mattingly, who touched on pharmacy benefit managers’ roles in pharmacy turnover as well as potential legislative policy to help improve pharmacy access as a whole.

READ MORE: Strategies Necessary to Correct the Trajectory of US Pharmacy Deserts

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Reference

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