Half the U.S. population once lived within a mile of a pharmacy—but that’s changing fast. In the past five years, more than 7,800 pharmacies have closed. As more patients are left in pharmacy deserts—areas where at least one-third of people must travel more than one mile in cities, five miles in suburbs, or 10 miles in rural areas—targeted patient engagement can help overcome access challenges. 

In a CNBC report on the rise of pharmacy deserts last year, DrFirst Chief Medical Officer Colin Banas, M.D., M.H.A., emphasized the importance of digital solutions to solve access challenges: “As pharmacy deserts become more common, patients should keep an eye on new apps and digital tools that will increasingly begin to fill some of the gaps.” 

45 Million Americans Feel the Strain of Pharmacy Deserts 

Pharmacies are more than places where people pick up prescriptions. They serve as community anchors for vaccinations, medication counseling, and chronic disease support. As pharmacy closures continue, Wolters Kluwer data reveals that 59% of Americans worry about getting medications close to home.  

Patient engagement at critical moments helps people stay informed and on track with prescribed therapies. In fact, the findings from Wolters Kluwer research show that among those managing multiple medications: 

• 75% are interested in using links to online medication information instead of printouts  

• 70% said SMS text reminders would be helpful 

• 60% would use an app for dosing and adherence support  

Pharmacy closures can hit rural communities especially hard. When the only pharmacy in Antwerp, Ohio, closed, residents faced a 22-mile drive to the nearest pharmacy.  

Even when a rural community has a pharmacy, access to specialty medications can pose a challenge. For example, KFF Health News reported that a patient in rural Kentucky was caught by surprise when she discovered her injectable migraine treatment couldn’t be filled at her local pharmacy, delaying her access to needed treatment.

A timely text message could have helped prevent the delay by informing the patient that a different pharmacy needed to dispense this specialty medication—along with clear next steps, like following up with her doctor or connecting her with a patient support program to speed access.  

Why Patient Engagement Matters Even More in Pharmacy Deserts 

When local pharmacy access is limited, every touchpoint with the patient becomes crucial. So, where can pharma companies focus their energy to make the most meaningful difference?  

By engaging providers and patients at the moments that matter, Timely by DrFirst helps pharma companies address key issues to speed access to therapy and ensure better patient outcomes. 

Pharmacy deserts carry real risks for some of the most vulnerable patients: older adults, people with chronic illnesses, and those managing life-altering diagnoses. Specialty medications introduce more hurdles, requiring even closer coordination. These drugs often have strict handling rules, limited distribution networks, prior authorization hurdles, and higher costs. Patients may need more support to navigate the maze of specialty medication access. Unfortunately, these communities often face another challenge—a shortage of primary care physicians. 

In underserved areas, where provider time is already stretched thin, Timely helps make every provider-patient encounter more efficient and delivers support when patients need it. 

FOR PROVIDERS: 

• Real-time visibility into branded therapy information and financial assistance in the EHR workflow: Timely puts relevant information in front of the provider, allowing for meaningful discussions about medication affordability and available copay cards before a patient visit ends. 

• Alerts when the patient’s preferred pharmacy is not an option to fill a particular prescription: Timely simplifies pharmacy selection at the point of prescribing and helps providers save time by avoiding back-and-forth calls or faxes between pharmacies when a prescribed medication has a limited distribution network. 

FOR PATIENTS:  

• Patient engagement on behalf of the trusted provider: To break through barriers that keep patients from starting therapy, Timely sends SMS text messages to engage patients at critical moments, providing access to educational content about the prescribed therapy, prior authorization status, and financial savings options.  

• Reminders to keep patients on track: Timely also sends nudges to remind patients when it’s time to pick up or refill prescriptions, which can be especially helpful when patients want to coordinate pharmacy trips due to distance. 

Drive Awareness, Speed Access, and Improve Adherence With End-to-End, Personalized Engagement 

With patients becoming more comfortable using wearable health technology and mobile health management tools, pharmaceutical companies and brand teams can meet them where they are—on their phones. SMS-based support from Timely helps patients get started and stick with their prescriptions. And with fewer than 1% opting out, it’s clear they find real value in that kind of everyday support.  

By combining real-time prescribing insights for clinicians with ongoing patient communication, Timely empowers providers to preempt access barriers and patients to improve medication adherence and outcomes.  

Keep patients on track, no matter where they live. Learn how Timely by DrFirst can help.