Pharmacists must evolve or risk being left behind
The pharmacy profession is standing at a crossroads, where the familiar hum of mortar-and-pestle meets the code of Silicon Valley. Digital health disruptors like Ro, Hims, and Amazon Clinic (One Medical) are not merely nudging their way into the healthcare landscape, they’re bulldozing their path forward, redefining how care is accessed, delivered, and experienced. And pharmacy? It’s in their direct line of vision.
These companies offer on-demand care, effortless prescription fulfillment, transparent pricing, and sleek digital platforms that resonate with modern consumers. In bypassing traditional models, they often bypass pharmacists altogether. With asynchronous telehealth visits and doorstep delivery, they’re removing friction, and in doing so, setting a new standard for patient expectations.
So, what does this mean for pharmacists?
Disruptors Aren’t a Threat, They’re a Wake-Up Call
It’s easy to view these tech-savvy startups as competition, but they’re also a mirror. They reflect what patients are craving: speed, simplicity, and digital access. These platforms aren’t just handing out prescriptions, they’re delivering experiences. And the patient response? Loud and clear.
Rather than resisting, pharmacists must ask: What can I do that these platforms can’t? The answer lies in a pharmacist’s legacy strength, the enduring power of personalized, longitudinal care.
The Unique Value of Pharmacists: Trust, Insight, and Continuity
While startups can provide quick fixes, they fall short when it comes to complex care coordination:
- Managing polypharmacy in aging patients
- Optimizing chronic disease regimens
- Detecting therapeutic duplications
- Offering guidance based on labs, lifestyle, and long-term risk
These are not boxes an algorithm can check. They require human judgment, clinical expertise, and above all, trust; something pharmacists have cultivated for decades. By stepping into roles as clinical decision-makers and wellness partners, pharmacists can offer value no app can replicate.
Embracing Technology: Meet Patients Where They Are
Value alone isn’t enough. Today’s patients expect care that meets them on their terms, digitally:
- Virtual consultations
- Mobile-first medication reviews
- Remote patient monitoring
- HIPAA-compliant messaging systems for real-time support
Pharmacists in all settings; community, hospital, independent, must explore hybrid care models. Whether it’s integrating into EHR systems or creating asynchronous follow-ups, these digital tools extend care beyond the counter.
New Business Models for a New Era
This shift is also a business opportunity. Innovative pharmacists are already:
- Launching cash-based consultation services
- Creating subscription MTM (Medication Therapy Management) programs
- Opening pharmacist-led telehealth clinics
Others are embedding themselves in concierge and direct primary care practices, becoming essential members of multidisciplinary teams. In these models, pharmacists are not an optional extra, they’re indispensable.
The Path Forward: Reinvent, Don’t Retreat
The future of pharmacy isn’t about fighting disruption, it’s about leading through transformation. Pharmacists who thrive will be those who:
- Double down on clinical value
- Adapt to digital delivery models
Doing one without the other won’t be enough. Modern patients want access and expertise. They want a health partner who can guide, monitor, and care—on-demand, online, and in person.
Digital health startups are shaping a new normal. The question isn’t whether the pharmacy profession will change—it’s whether it will change with purpose. This is more than a survival moment. It’s a chance to redefine what it means to be a pharmacist in the 21st century.
Let’s not resist the future. Let’s design it.
