Pharmacies Adapt in the Wake of Challenges Created by COVID-19, Panel Says

As many Americans are out of work and losing their health insurance due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pharmacies are finding ways to adapt and step up to the challenge in order to ensure that patients receive their treatments, panelists said this week during the Pharmacy Quality Alliance 2020 Annual Meeting.

One speaker noted that pharmacies are expected to do well during the pandemic because they are classified as essential businesses and may remain open. pharmacies have had to change how they run their business entirely, from exclusively using drive-throughs to investing in telemedicine and medication deliveries.

Currently, there are over 20 million Americans out of work due to the pandemic, many of whom were covered by employer-provided health care plans and will now be eligible for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. That means many patients are suddenly unsure of how to continue their care, and Bruce Japsen, a senior health care writer for Forbes.

Pharmacies have also taken initiative to ensure treatment for patients with underlying conditions who are considered to be at higher risk of developing COVID-19—related complications by encouraging the use of value-based patient models.

To read the full story, see The Center for Biosimilars.com.