Expert: Rite Aid pharmacies closing will have a ‘monumental negative impact’ on Western New York

BUFFALO, N.Y. – On the heels of Rite Aid filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 5, the harmful effects on patient care in the Western New York region will be severe and widespread, according to a University at Buffalo expert.

“There will be monumental negative impact on patient care in the Western New York region,” says Christopher J. Daly, PharmD, clinical associate professor at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences who specializes in business management and community pharmacy practice.

About 70 community-based pharmacies with 13 being inner city Buffalo are set to close in the coming weeks. All aspects of health care will feel the loss of these pharmacies, Daly says, with patients, providers, health care systems, displaced pharmacists, and prospective pharmacy students bearing the brunt of Rite Aid’s bankruptcy.

The following commentary from Daly examines the devastating impact these store closures will have on the health care ecosystem.

Impact on patients

“Patients will be displaced, there will be confusion on next steps – How do I get my medications? – and where to go. They will be lost looking for other pharmacy services that are willing to take them on.”

Impact on communities

“Community pharmacies are a fixture for health care services and essential care. This was clearly highlighted during the pandemic where over 50%t of all COVID-19 vaccines were administered within or by pharmacies. Since then, patients visit their local pharmacy 5 times more times than their primary care provider. This is due to proximity, necessity, and accessibility factors.”

Impact on providers

“Providers will be bombarded with questions regarding this situation, requests for new prescriptions to be sent elsewhere, and other administrative tasks pulling them away from important clinical work.”

Impact on health care systems

“Health care systems will see patients with increased disease burden, as patients will go without medications.”

Impact on pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and prospective pharmacy students

“Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and other support staff will lose their jobs and, at this level, the local system will not be able to absorb leading to large economic and productivity loss. Prospective students will be less interested in the profession of pharmacy where great demand is still needed, including the practice of community pharmacy.”

Impact on medication pricing

“The largest unknown is the true impact to patients. With a smaller number of pharmacies, will the supply chain and reimbursement entities, such as manufactures, managed care and middlemen use this opportunity to help create policy that will keep prices low and establish fair reimbursement to keep pharmacies open? This is complicated, but all entities share blame with some more responsible than others.”

Lessening the damage

“We have an opportunity to do something about this, and that can be done at Albany by advocating for transparency pricing of medications and eliminating unfair pharmacy reimbursement practices. Losing 70 pharmacies in a short time frame will lead to unnecessary patient suffering and has been due to a multitude of compiling factors.”