By Brad Cochran, President, Pharmaceutical & Specialty Distribution and The Medicine Shoppe International, Inc.
Patients’ growing expectations are shaping how pharmacies show up in their communities. According to a 2025 CVS Health survey, nearly 8 in 10 American adults visited a pharmacy in the past year, with many seeking personalized, convenient care. As a result, pharmacies have an opportunity to expand their role in health and wellness services, including vaccinations, medication counseling, preventive screenings, and other non-emergency services.
Even as pharmacies are increasingly recognized as a vital point of care, recent findings reveal areas where access is becoming limited. Between 2023 and 2025, the number of community pharmacies decreased, based on research from the National Community Pharmacists Association, sponsored by Cardinal Health. This trend, driven by financial challenges, staffing constraints, and evolving regulatory expectations, contributes to the growing prominence of pharmacy deserts across the U.S.
Despite these rising pressures, pharmacies continue to demonstrate resilience as they put patients at the center of care. Our focus is on helping them sustain their role and continue to thrive, no matter the environment. Through expert guidance and a broad portfolio of financial, operational, and clinical solutions, we work with our pharmacy customers and independent franchisees of MSI’s national pharmacy brand, The Medicine Shoppe® Pharmacy and Medicap Pharmacy®, to optimize their performance as they deliver health and wellness services to their communities.
Below I share some of the ways our strategic guidance, solutions, and support are advancing pharmacies’ resiliency for the future.
Helping strengthen financial health
Across the industry, pharmacies are navigating a complex financial environment, balancing ongoing access needs with declining gross margins and operational inefficiencies.
Through our range of solutions, pharmacies can strengthen their financial performance and reduce administrative burdens. For example, pharmacies can help ensure patients are getting the medications they need by using forecasted reordering capabilities, dashboards, and reports to maintain sufficient stock of products through our Inventory Optimization solution. Our Reimbursement Consulting Services help improve payment accuracy by identifying reimbursement errors and offering steps to resolve them. And with community pharmacies filling an average of 217 prescriptions a day, our Reconciliation solution consolidates accounts receivable information, claims, and reporting into a single portal, freeing up time pharmacists can spend with patients instead of paperwork.
Supporting expanded patient services
Growing patient trust is strengthening the role of pharmacies in care delivery, with nearly 80% of Americans trusting their pharmacist, based on 2025 data from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. This increased trust supports the expansion of clinical services, such as vaccinations and diagnostic testing.
When pharmacies provide immunizations, they help keep patients protected year-round through convenient, affordable care. Our Immunization Services feature education, clinical resources, and physician-signed protocols that help pharmacists confidently administer routine and seasonal vaccines.
Pharmacies can further enhance patient care with diagnostic testing services. Through our Point-of-Care Testing program, pharmacists can deliver rapid diagnostics and wellness screenings, enabling many patients to be tested and treated in a single visit.
Enabling flexible responses to market and patient demands
Pharmacies are also seeing increased demand for over-the-counter and diagnostic products. To help meet this growing need, our first-of-its-kind Consumer Health Logistics Center (CHLC) delivers one of the broadest selections of consumer health products in the industry and supports pharmacies looking to diversify their front ends and grow revenue.
Beyond the CHLC, we are investing in advanced technology and AI‑enabled solutions to streamline ordering, strengthen inventory visibility, and enhance resiliency across our supply chain. And our new flagship pharmaceutical distribution center in Indianapolis, set to open in fall 2027, will feature state-of-the-art robotics and automation to help drive greater quality and safety.
Empowering the voices of the pharmacy community
Strengthening pharmacy resilience also means supporting pharmacies through a shifting policy and regulatory landscape. The environment remains highly dynamic, and navigating these complexities is more critical than ever. Cardinal Health actively monitors legislative and regulatory activity, engages with policymakers, and brings forward insights on issues that shape pharmacy practice and patient access.
Through our grassroots advocacy support, including the sharing of best practices and industry resources, we help pharmacists get engaged on issues that impact their pharmacies and their patients. This support is especially important as pharmacies expand their role in patient care and serve as powerful advocates for their communities.
To further support their advocacy, we launched our One Voice Initiative, which provides direct financial assistance to select state pharmacy associations. This investment builds on pharmacy associations’ longstanding commitment to the future of community pharmacies and ongoing partnerships with industry organizations, helping pharmacists build relationships with elected officials at all levels of government.
Pharmacists’ leadership in advocacy is critical to advancing care in communities, and we are proud to support and elevate their voices as they work to ensure patients can continue to rely on essential services.
Through our solutions and industry expertise, Cardinal Health has supported pharmacies for more than 50 years. As new dynamics emerge across the continuum of care, we will continue to invest and evolve our solutions and services to help pharmacies adapt while staying focused on delivering high-quality, accessible care to the communities they serve.
Editor’s note: A version of this story originally appeared in Chain Drug Review’s State of the Industry Report, published April 13, 2026.