Julie Perkins is a pharmacist and the owner of Batson’s Drug Store in Howard, Kansas. It’s the only pharmacy for miles.
They’re stuck in a downward spiral.
Discount card companies negotiate directly with pharmacies or pharmacy benefit managers, the powerful brokers that control drug prices.
Corporate mergers and competition from supermarkets, discount clubs and online startups — among other forces — have altered how pharmacies need to do business.
Retail pharmacists deal with understaffing and burnout as their job responsibilities expand beyond dispensing medication.
They’ve struggled with exhaustion, low staffing levels and no-shows for appointments.
But it’s not as easy as just showing up at a store and expecting to get a shot.
They’re more and more becoming one-stop shops for people who want to consolidate shopping trips.
It’s an effort to compete with drugstore chains and pharmacy startups.
The company is finding ways to attract more customers.
