Rx Impact: DSN special report examines role of community pharmacy as face of health care in America

EDITOR’S NOTE: As the editor Drug Store News, I am frequently reminded that the stories we report on extend far beyond the industry we cover. I often feel like if you could see sit where I sit and see what I see, you’d find that the community pharmacist is a greatly underutilized component of our nation’s healthcare system; that we could do a lot more to close the gap on provider access, lower the cost of care and ultimately improve health outcomes for millions of Americans, just by enabling the pharmacist on the corner to practice at the top of their license.

That’s why we put together RxImpact as a special edition of Drug Store News for federal and state legislators, policymakers, news media and other critical stakeholders outside of retail pharmacy industry, to help bring greater awareness of the full impact community pharmacy can have as our nation tries to improve an overburdened health care system.

The stories that follow provide a myriad of examples of what community pharmacy can do — and is doing everyday — to help improve health care. I am sure when you’re done reading these articles, you’ll see what I see.

—Rob Eder

Editor in Chief, Drug Store News