CVS Rx Report: 5 latest trends influencing community pharmacy

Patients trust their pharmacists at community pharmacies and look to local pharmacies for convenient, personalized care. Among those surveyed, 77% said they trust their local pharmacists, while 84% view pharmacies as a credible source of healthcare.  

Community pharmacies are also valued for their accessibility and ability to provide in-person, patient-centered care.

As noted in the report, around 8 in 10 U.S. adults reported visiting a pharmacy within the past year, with nearly half (42%) prioritizing personalized, convenient care.

While patients are increasingly relying on digital tools to manage their prescriptions and refills, most still prefer face-to-face interactions with their pharmacy care provider. 

The report found that 80% of patients prefer in-person pharmacy care over digital health options, with nearly half (48%) reporting they would switch pharmacies if only digital services were available. 

Nearly all pharmacy professionals (97%) who participated agree that in-person care interactions are important. 

Since COVID-19, pharmacists have taken on a greater share of clinical services, such as vaccinations, testing and prescribing authority, when permitted.  

As pharmacists find it harder to balance job satisfaction and competing job demands, the report points to technology to support pharmacy care teams by eliminating workforce inefficiencies, automating administrative tasks and reducing manual workloads. 

Although 67% of retail pharmacists report being "at least somewhat satisfied with their jobs," nearly two-thirds (65%) said they are interested in integrating technology to ease daily workloads and enhance patient care. 

The survey responses signify growing support for expanding the clinical role of pharmacy teams.  

Three-quarters of retail pharmacy professionals said they want to provide more direct care to patients. At the same time, 70% of adults believe pharmacists should be able to deliver health services when primary care is unavailable. 

Seen by many as the first point of care, community pharmacies have expanded their role in patient access and become a go-to for quick and easy care.  

According to the report, 65% of adults said they would be likely to seek additional health services if referred by their local pharmacy team, reflecting growing patient confidence in pharmacists as care providers. 

The report also points to payment reform as one of retail pharmacy's most pressing issues, noting that traditional reimbursement models "do not accurately reflect the actual costs of purchasing medications or the services provided by community pharmacies." 

To address this, the report emphasizes the importance of transitioning to a more sustainable, cost-based model that enhances pricing transparency for payers and pharmacy benefit managers while also simplifying reimbursement structures. 

"A more sustainable pharmacy reimbursement model could be a way to create stability and longevity of community pharmacies," the report suggested. 

CVS's 2025 Rx Report highlights the growing importance of community pharmacies and their care teams in delivering accessible, trusted care close to home. It also outlines the trends in patient expectations and workforce demands that are actively reshaping retail pharmacies and their care teams. 

Keeping that momentum, the report notes, will depend on sustainable reimbursement, technology integration and policies that enable pharmacy teams to more easily manage increasing workloads and patient needs. 

Alivia Kaylor is a scientist and the senior site editor of Pharma Life Sciences.