Pharmacists Expand Clinical Services Beyond Traditional Dispensing | Asembia AXS26

Pharmacists are playing an increasingly vital role in delivering clinical care beyond traditional dispensing. Luis Lanz, JD, a partner at Quarles & Brady, explores how that evolution is unfolding across the United States. He focuses on an expanded pharmacist scope of practice, particularly around immunizations, clinical services, and the ongoing challenge of reimbursement from pharmacy benefit managers [PBMs] and payers.

Immunizations are highlighted as the most widely adopted expansion of pharmacist responsibilities. Nearly every state now permits pharmacists to administer vaccines, and pharmacies already have the infrastructure, patient traffic, and public trust to deliver these services efficiently. Vaccines not only support public health, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also drive recurring patient engagement, increased foot traffic, and new opportunities to offer additional clinical services.

However, there’s a gap between the legal authority to provide care and actually getting paid for it. Many models still rely on cash pay because traditional reimbursement pathways are limited or inconsistent. To change this, pharmacies need to shift from a product-based narrative to a value-based narrative, supported by strong data, according to Lanz. Metrics such as improved medication adherence, reduced hospitalizations, better clinical outcomes, and overall cost savings are critical to persuading PBMs and local payers to reimburse pharmacists as providers.

Further, Lanz also examines direct-to-consumer pharmacy models, which emphasize convenience, speed, telehealth, and pharmacist prescribing. Although these models create additional competition, they also present a differentiation opportunity for independent community pharmacies. By leaning into their strengths—local presence, strong patient relationships, and personalized clinical services—independent pharmacists can compete on access and patient experience. State boards of pharmacy and state pharmacist associations are emphasized as key resources for understanding regulations, collaborative practice agreements, and emerging legislation that could expand reimbursement for pharmacist-provided care.

“We were seeing expanded roles through state legislation, particularly like a state like Maryland, where they require state-regulated commercial insurance plans to reimburse pharmacists for all covered services within their scope,” he said. “We may start to see these types of laws popping up across the country.”