With the rise of different pharmacy options, knowing the best place to get your medication can be difficult and overwhelming. The good news is that an increase in pharmacy options allows you to personalize your healthcare beyond your doctor’s office.
Whether you take multiple maintenance medications daily, you only take the occasional antibiotic when you’re sick, or you’re somewhere in between, you may be wondering what type of pharmacy is right for you. No matter your situation, continue reading to help you find the pharmacy option that best fits your needs.
The rise of the online pharmacy
Telehealth became an increasingly popular option during the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are no signs of it slowing down. Recent data shows that people in the US are using telehealth now even more than before the pandemic.
Along with the increased popularity of telehealth has come the rise of the online pharmacy. Chances are, you’ve encountered an ad or commercial for an online pharmacy at least once while watching TV or scrolling through social media.
According to the University of Michigan’s National Poll on Healthy Aging, nearly a third of all older adults, and more than 42% of those aged 50 to 64, expressed interest in using online-only pharmacy services in the future.
An online pharmacy might be right for you if you need a one-time solution every once in a while. It can also be a good option for hands-on care in one area of your health. Some people like to utilize an online pharmacy for their daily vitamins or birth control, for example.
While online pharmacies have their benefits, your primary care doctor might not be notified of any medications prescribed or distributed to you through them, which can lead to potential health complications. It’s always a good idea to inform your primary care doctor of all medications you are taking, especially if you utilize an online pharmacy for some of them.
PersonalRX and home delivery pharmacies
If you’re someone with a complicated medication regimen, you might feel like you spend far too much of your time at the traditional, brick-and-mortar retail pharmacy. Or maybe you have a new uptick in the amount of medications you’re taking and you’re regularly forgetting to take all of them.
For people in these situations, utilizing the traditional pharmacy can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. If this sounds like you, a home delivery pharmacy (especially one that pre-packages your medications into daily doses), such as PersonalRX, might be a good fit.
PersonalRX is a high-touch pharmacy service that emphasizes customer service and personal care. With this service, your medications are delivered to your door every month, in pre-sorted time-of-day dose packs. This takes away the stress of dealing with and taking multiple trips to the traditional pharmacy and helps ensure you never miss a dose of your medications.
Another benefit of this pharmacy is that you’ll also have a dedicated Personal Care Coordinator who deals with your doctors and your insurance, meaning one less thing you need to worry about. If you ever have any questions or concerns about your medications, PersonalRX provides you 24/7 access to a pharmacist that you can call whenever you need.
This high level of care is especially beneficial for people who are taking multiple maintenance medications and are tired of all of the extra work that comes with it.
When to stick with a traditional pharmacy
If you’re someone who only takes one or two medications, or if most of your medications are one-time use, such as antibiotics, then a traditional pharmacy is most likely right for you. While there are certainly benefits to other pharmacies, if you aren’t confronted with the issue of managing multiple medications, you may not need the solutions these other pharmacies provide.
That being said, it doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on the development of online pharmacies and the ever-changing pharmacy landscape. There may soon come a day when an online-only pharmacy and doctor service is more efficient than an urgent care appointment paired with a trip to the traditional pharmacy. Or, there may come a day when you’re taking multiple medications and need a higher level of care from your pharmacy.
Whether you utilize a traditional pharmacy or an online or home delivery pharmacy, the options will continue to evolve and grow as people’s needs change. What’s right for you today might not be what’s right for you somewhere down the road. The best thing you can do is keep an open mind and continue to evaluate your options to find what pharmacy works best for you.
