How Tribal Organizations Benefit from an Onsite Pharmacy

Short on time? We’ve got you covered. Here’s what you need to know:

• Health trends among Native communities in the U.S. indicate that this population isn’t getting the care they need
• Onsite pharmacies can help tribal organizations get their members healthier through improved access to healthcare and member education
• At Premise Health, our onsite pharmacies focus on quality, service, and affordability, which helps improve health outcomes and reduce costs

For many Native communities, health trends such as diabetes diagnoses and rates of respiratory illness reflect decades-long disparities in healthcare access. Rather than accepting these obstacles as a given, tribal organizations are searching for ways to proactively improve the quality of care available to their people.

Many of the prevalent health issues in these communities require clinically appropriate medications and the inclusion of a pharmacist on the care team to properly manage. But the reality is, with over half of Native people residing in rural or small towns, getting to a pharmacy in a metropolitan area isn’t always easy.

How an Onsite Pharmacy Can Help Tribal Organizations

An onsite pharmacy dedicated to a tribal population can help communities achieve better outcomes through improved access and member education, creating a seamless care experience for the people who need care the most.

Improved Access

What if speaking to a pharmacist and getting prescriptions was as easy as clocking into work or driving down the road on the reservation? When a pharmacy is located onsite, tribe members don’t have to stress about picking up their medications. Matching the hours of a tribe’s business entity, members can stop in before their shift, over lunch, or even before they head home for the day. For tribal members that live more rurally, an onsite pharmacy in their community gives them a much closer option than traveling to the nearest city. And with a pharmacy exclusively for the tribal population, there is also minimal wait time to pick up prescriptions or speak to a pharmacist.

For those in the community who aren’t able to physically access an onsite pharmacy, whether due to illness or social drivers of health like transportation, members can opt to receive their medications through next-day mail. It’s no secret that certain medications can be expensive, especially those with brand names. Onsite pharmacists are there to offer guidance about low-cost over the counter and generic medications, how much is covered by the member’s insurance, and any variable copay programs that might help reduce out-of-pocket spend. Transparent pricing is equally as important as physical proximity when it comes to access through onsite pharmacies.

Between improved physical access, low-to-no wait time, next-day mail availability, and transparent pricing, onsite pharmacies help tribe members get their medications without the hassle. This greatly improves the member experience and also serves as a powerful recruitment and retention tool for the tribe’s business entities.

Member Education

The value of an onsite pharmacy goes beyond convenient and affordable prescription access, offering tribal members meaningful guidance in managing their medications. This is especially important for managing complex conditions, where failing to adhere to medications can create emergency situations.

Members that take medications generally interact with a pharmacist on a regular 30 or 90-day basis, making them one of the more accessible providers on a care team. With an onsite pharmacy, tribal members can speak to their pharmacist as often as they’d like, getting quicker help with proper dosage, injections, or any other concerns. Better yet, members don’t have to be concerned about holding up a line at a community pharmacy; they can stop by as needed or simply just give the pharmacy a call.

When members have the guidance they need, they tend to stay on their medications, increasing adherence and improving overall health outcomes. Over time, as members get healthier, they have lower out-of-pocket expenses and organizations see a decreased total cost of care. For example, with the support of an onsite pharmacy, one organization decreased their medical and prescription costs by $13.8 million by promoting medication adherence and increasing access.

Seamless Care Experience

As a tribal organization considering an onsite pharmacy, it may be hard to picture what it could look like in-practice. Let’s go over an example:

A member in the tribal community is struggling with chronic conditions and is taking multiple medications. These medications are expensive, require specific dosages, and their closest pharmacy is over an hour away. After a long drive, they hardly have time to speak with a pharmacist because the community pharmacy is always busy. Due to this, they have trouble taking their medications correctly, and they’ve had to visit urgent care on a few occasions due to flare-ups.

With an onsite pharmacy, the member can stop by anytime during the organization’s business hours. With it being so accessible throughout the day, it’s never too busy at any one time. The member’s medications are always ready, and cost substantially less than they do in the community thanks to the equitable generics the pharmacist recommended. The pharmacist knows the member by name and is always there to address their concerns or check in on their course of treatment.

If the member is unable to get their medications during normal business hours because they’re not feeling well or have transportation issues, they have the option to have them delivered by the next business day. Any concerns can easily be addressed with the pharmacist over the phone if needed. Over time, the member begins to have better control of their conditions, reducing the need for reactive care, lowering their number of prescriptions, and creating an overall healthier lifestyle.

Pharmacy Partnerships in Tribal Communities

With the right care approach, health disparities among the tribal community can be addressed head on. At Premise, our onsite pharmacies focus on quality, service, and affordability, which helps improve health outcomes and reduce costs. We can establish a pharmacy within physical spaces of nearly any size, so we can partner with you to ensure the footprint investment is minimal.

Ready to consider an onsite pharmacy for your tribal organization? Read more about how they can enhance your benefits strategy or contact us.