Editor’s Note: Quotes cited with [4] are sourced from Mesmerize’s “Working at the top of their license, The Future of Community Pharmacy as a Health Care Destination” whitepaper. You can read the full whitepaper here.
Pharmacies have long been viewed as the place to pick up prescriptions, browse the over-the-counter aisle, and maybe receive a flu shot. But in recent years, their role has shifted dramatically. Today, pharmacies are increasingly recognized as essential healthcare access points where patients can get personalized care, preventive screenings, trusted education, and sometimes even primary care services.
“Thirty years ago, it was just a very simple pharmacy. We filled orders. We would answer questions about a particular medication. We would get to know our customers, but we weren’t really a health care destination back then. Now, especially with the number of over-the-counter products out there, and the things that pharmacists can actually do, we’re no longer the last stop in the patient journey, but one of the first.” says Kathy Collier, Regional Vice President of Operations for ExpressRx Pharmacy on the shifting role of pharmacies in patient care[4].
This evolution comes at a pivotal moment. The U.S. healthcare system is facing mounting strain: chronic diseases now account for 90% of the nation’s $4.9 trillion in annual health spending, and the country is projected to face a shortage of more than 87,000 primary care physicians by 2037[1]. As traditional healthcare providers become stretched thin, pharmacies are stepping up to fill gaps in access and deliver trusted care right in the community.
For pharmaceutical marketers and media buyers, this shift also unlocks new opportunities for Point of Care (POC) media. Pharmacies present advertisers with a unique intersection of accessibility, frequency, and patient trust—making them a powerful environment for engagement and education.
Why Pharmacies Matter
Pharmacies are embedded in nearly every community, with 90% of Americans living within five miles of one[1]. This convenience, paired with the trusted relationships pharmacists build with their patients, makes them valuable as access points for care.
Pharmacists are also the most accessible healthcare providers in the U.S.[2] Medicare data show patients with chronic conditions visit their pharmacist 13 times per year on average, compared to just 7 visits with primary care providers—nearly double the touchpoints[1]. This frequency creates numerous opportunities for patient education, adherence support, and early intervention.
“We’re the most accessible health care provider. You don’t need an appointment to ask your pharmacist a question or to get counseling from them. You can just walk up and ask for us,” says Laura Edmundson, PharmD, MBA, Vice President of Pharmacy at Brookshire Brothers, Inc[4].
Patients also recognize and value the role of the pharmacy in their care. According to the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS)[3]:
- 85% of U.S. adults say pharmacists are easy to access—the highest percentage among all tested healthcare options.
- A strong majority of adults support pharmacists testing for and treating common conditions, such as COVID-19, flu, strep throat, and UTIs.
- 73% of adults support pharmacies conducting screenings for high cholesterol and heart disease, and 76% supporting pharmacist guidance on nutrition.
A Shifting Business Model
Beyond patient attitudes, the business of pharmacy is also changing. In 2022, community pharmacies generated more than $94 billion in business. Nearly 43% of these pharmacies now have collaborative practice agreements with physicians[4], which enable them to provide additional services such as test-to-treat, chronic disease screenings, and medication management.
“[The evolution of pharmacies] originated when you started to see our degree as a pharmacist to shift from Bachelor of Science to Doctor of Pharmacy. There was more of a clinical focus—more than just the dispensing side of the equation. Over the last 10 years we’ve continued to innovate,” says Balls Food Stores Director of Pharmacy & Whole Health Michael Halliwell[4].
This evolution was further accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when pharmacists administered more than 340 million vaccines nationwide[1]. Their ability to scale services rapidly during a public health emergency demonstrated just how critical pharmacies are to community health.
Patient Engagement & Education at the Pharmacy
At their core, pharmacies provide trusted interactions between patients and providers. And education plays a crucial role in these moments. Research from Wolters Kluwer[5] highlights that:
- 80% of patients say access to educational materials makes them more satisfied with their care encounters.
- 68% say it makes them more likely to return to the same provider.
Pharmacists often address questions that patients didn’t ask—or didn’t have answered—when their medication was first prescribed. This makes pharmacies a critical place for reinforcing adherence, explaining side effects, and discussing alternatives based on cost or effectiveness.
“Independent pharmacists do a really good job coaching,” says Stone[4].
For marketers, that means ensuring pharmacy-based campaigns do more than advertise—they educate, empower, and enable conversations that lead to healthier outcomes.
“Brands must ensure that pharmacists are equipped with as much knowledge as possible so they can continue to be a resource for patients and provide important information and improve adherence,” notes Rowan.
Effective POC Media in the Pharmacy Setting
Pharmacies provide a unique, high-frequency environment for POC media, with patients returning weekly or monthly. This opens the door for both static and digital media tactics to play a role in shaping health decisions.
- Static media (such as posters, brochures, coupons, and shelf talkers) remain trusted and tangible resources. Patients can take them home, discuss them with family members, or reference them when making care decisions.
- Digital media is rapidly gaining traction. In-store screens, waiting area TVs, and mobile integrations offer flexibility, data-driven targeting, and the ability to refresh content in real time.
Stone points to the growing digital footprint at pharmacies as an opportunity for pharmaceutical marketers, “Screen placements throughout pharmacies give marketers the ability to connect with patients and caregivers in high-traffic areas, complementing print while enabling real-time data and flexibility.”
Digital tactics also extend beyond the store, into EHR platforms, patient portals, and telehealth experiences—allowing marketers to create omnichannel campaigns that keep patients engaged throughout their journey. Learn more about digital and static POC tactics available to your brand here.
Stone also noted the emerging role that artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to play in shaping the pharmacy experience, which in turn will change how brands can reach patients with the right message, “Retail pharmacy continually and continuously evolves. Like other segments of retail, we’re sitting at pharmacy’s new era with innovative ideas being executed in and out of the brick-and-mortar setting. Pharmacy chains are embracing AI and using it to customize the pharmacy experience for their customers, and we’re seeing how AI can be tied to retail media networks to serve the right message at the right time—giving pharmacy customers what they want and when they want it.”[4]
Regardless of the POC tactics leveraged and a brand’s approach to messaging, the most effective POC media hinges on education, not promotion. The goal of your POC media should be to provide educational or supportive content at the moment of care to facilitate health discussions, improve patient outcomes, and empower individuals to manage their health proactively.
The success of well executed POC media at the pharmacy has earned it fans among providers – “We find the screens beneficial. We have them pointed towards our waiting area, and we definitely catch people watching it,” says Edmundson[4].
What This Means for Pharma Marketers: 3 Key Takeaways
For pharmaceutical marketers and media buyers, pharmacies represent an emerging healthcare destination that combines accessibility, trust, and frequency. For those looking to leverage POC media at pharmacies, consider:
- Leaning into accessibility. With patients visiting their pharmacy up to 13 times per year, campaigns can achieve higher frequency and reinforcement compared to physician-only strategies.
- Supporting pharmacists as educators. Equip them with credible, easy-to-share educational resources that improve adherence and drive trust.
- Investing in omnichannel POC media. Blend static and digital tactics to maximize impact, and design campaigns that follow patients across the pharmacy, provider, and home environments.
The potential is clear: pharmacies are not just distribution points for prescriptions—they are frontline healthcare hubs that connect patients with trusted education, preventive care, and life-changing therapies.
Considering Pharmacy POC as a Strategic Imperative
The future of patient care will be shaped not just in doctors’ offices, but in local pharmacies across the country. With community pharmacies generating billions in annual business, fostering widespread patient trust, and meeting increased demand for accessible care, their importance is only growing.
Many pharmacy professionals are excited about the growing role of the pharmacy in the patient care journey. “We’re able- bodied health care providers just sitting right there on “Main Street” with our doors wide open, patiently waiting for the country to figure out that, ‘Here’s a pathway, here’s a great place people can go to get a variety of services and information,’” says Edmundson[4].
And for pharmaceutical marketers, pharmacies offer more than a media channel. They are a place to build health literacy, improve adherence, and ultimately support better outcomes.
As Stone summarized, “For brands, the pharmacy is no longer just a point of sale. It’s a point of care—and a point of trust.”
Our POC product finder can help you locate the right POC tactics and media partners for activating at the pharmacy.
[1] Milken Institute, 2025, Advancing Health Through Expanded Access to Pharmacy-Based Care
[2] Mesmerize, 2025, Patient Engagement and The Future of Community Pharmacy as a Health Care Destination
[3] National Association of Chain Drug Stores, 2023
[4] Mesmerize, 2024, Working at the top of their license, The Future of Community Pharmacy as a Health Care Destination
[5] Wolters Klewer, 2023, Patient education, diversity, and trust: Debunking myths about what patients want
