Bridging the Gap: Taking Care of Your Health in a Pharmacy Desert
- Tria Health
- 38 minutes ago
- 3 min read
If you live in an area where you struggle to find a pharmacy, you’re not alone. A pharmacy desert is a community lacking a pharmacy resource, and unfortunately, it’s a growing trend. A recent national study found that about 15.8 million people live in areas classified as pharmacy deserts, which can be detrimental for anyone, but especially those managing chronic conditions (Murphy and Rodis 2025). That’s why we are here to provide you with important information regarding pharmacy deserts, as well as where to find the resources, you need.
Why Pharmacy Access Matters for Your Health
Pharmacies and pharmacists do more than just hand out medications. They are part of your care team, helping you with how and when to take your medicines, spotting side-effects, and answering questions. When patients don’t have easy access to a pharmacy, they may delay or skip getting their medications. Research shows this can lead to worse health outcomes (Murphy and Rodis 2025). For people living in pharmacy deserts, the lack of access means extra effort which can add up.
(Throughout this post, you’ll see Pharmacist Insights. These are expert perspectives that provide practical advice and deeper understanding from Tria Health’s team.)
Pharmacist Insight:
From your perspective, what are some of the biggest challenges patients face when they don’t have a nearby pharmacy?
Kristen: One of the biggest challenges they face is simply getting their medications in a timely manner. Without the convenience of a local pharmacy, patients often have to rely on mail-order pharmacy services which can lead to delays, shipping issues, and lost packages. Interruptions like this can mean that patients miss their medications, and in some cases even one or two days without their medication can result in serious health consequences.
Why Are Pharmacies Getting Harder to Reach?
You might be wondering why these pharmacies are becoming more difficult to reach, several forces are at work:
Many pharmacy locations closed between 2010 and 2021, over 29% of pharmacies across the country shut down in that time, making access harder in underserved communities. (Murphy and Rodis 2025)
Some regions face high costs to run a pharmacy, low reimbursement rates for medications, and fewer pharmacists choosing to work in remote or low-income areas. (Murphy and Rodis 2025)
Transportation and mobility barriers matter: if you don’t have a car, live in a remote area, or have limited public transit, access becomes even tougher.
Pharmacist Insight:
Why do you think pharmacy deserts are becoming more common, and how is that affecting patients’ daily lives?
Kristen: Pharmacy deserts are sadly becoming more common largely due to below cost reimbursements and unethical business practices of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). This has forced many independent pharmacies to close in recent years, leaving entire communities without a nearby pharmacy. Patients in these communities are left with the choice to have medications delivered via mail-order, risking them not arriving on time or into a hot mailbox in the middle of summer, or driving long distances to pick up medications at the nearest pharmacy, which often will end up having long wait times due to the extra prescription volume they have had to pick up from other pharmacies closing in the area.
How to Manage Your Health When a Pharmacy Isn’t Nearby
If you live in a pharmacy desert, here are practical steps you can take to stay on track with your health:
Ask whether you can use mail-order pharmacy services and have your medications delivered to your home.
Talk with your healthcare provider or pharmacist about getting 90-day supplies instead of 30-day supplies. Fewer trips means less strain.
Use smartphone apps or reminders to help you track when refills are due.
Reach out to the pharmacy (or your insurer) to ask about delivery options, many chains now deliver outside of traditional service ranges.
Explore virtual pharmacist consultations: even if the pharmacy is far, you can still speak to a pharmacist online or by phone for guidance.
These steps can reduce the burden of travel and make managing medications more realistic.
Virtual Pharmacist Support: How Tria Can Help
Just because you can’t walk into a nearby pharmacy doesn’t mean you’re cut off from pharmacist support. Tria Health is a benefit available for no cost through select health insurance providers, and gives you access to one-on-one meetings with a pharmacist. These virtual sessions will help you:
Clarify what each medication is for, how to take it, and when side-effects might appear.
Review all of your medications together (especially if you take several at once) and make sure they work well together.
Find options that may cost less or simplify your routine.
Living in a pharmacy desert can feel like a barrier, but try to remember there are plenty of alternatives that offer support. You deserve personalized care, and while access looks different than it used to, your path to good health remains strong!
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