Barry Baines

It seems like the PBMs, the pharmacy benefit managers, that whole piece. But on the business, as you said at the beginning, these are businesses. And in our society, businesses... tend to want to grow and eat up all the competition. Until now, it's, I don't want to say it's a monopoly, but, you know, having the independent competitors

It seems like the PBMs, the pharmacy benefit managers, that whole piece. But on the business, as you said at the beginning, these are businesses. And in our society, businesses... tend to want to grow and eat up all the competition. Until now, it's, I don't want to say it's a monopoly, but, you know, having the independent competitors

pharmacy is just non-existent those were big community players and the big businesses in some ways they try to be i mean you know for sure but it it seems like it's not the same the same thing and i wonder if you could share a perspective from you know from that yeah thanks very no i i really i can share my perspective uh on this um

pharmacy is just non-existent those were big community players and the big businesses in some ways they try to be i mean you know for sure but it it seems like it's not the same the same thing and i wonder if you could share a perspective from you know from that yeah thanks very no i i really i can share my perspective uh on this um

Good.

Good.

No, it's a good question. I mean, I see one. This is going to be more of a medical advisor input question in terms of how it actually affects patients. And I'd like to hope that we would be able to solve the problem of pharmacy deserts. We're not. However, I think what's really important for this show in particular is to really sort of sound the alarm

No, it's a good question. I mean, I see one. This is going to be more of a medical advisor input question in terms of how it actually affects patients. And I'd like to hope that we would be able to solve the problem of pharmacy deserts. We're not. However, I think what's really important for this show in particular is to really sort of sound the alarm

that this is a lot more than just having to travel to a pharmacy to pick up medications. And so the perspective that, you know, it's almost like a domino effect, because what do pharmacies do? Well, in addition to, you know, Stan and I getting root beer floats, you know, at the corner drugstore, right now pharmacies are... probably provide more immunizations for people than just about anything.

that this is a lot more than just having to travel to a pharmacy to pick up medications. And so the perspective that, you know, it's almost like a domino effect, because what do pharmacies do? Well, in addition to, you know, Stan and I getting root beer floats, you know, at the corner drugstore, right now pharmacies are... probably provide more immunizations for people than just about anything.

When I call my doctor to get a flu shot, they say, we'll just go to a pharmacy. You can get in a lot sooner than in my class. So there's that piece. A lot of pharmacies dispense medical advice for minor medical conditions. So they're a health resource for the community that oftentimes, especially If you're in rural areas or poor urban areas or suburban areas.

When I call my doctor to get a flu shot, they say, we'll just go to a pharmacy. You can get in a lot sooner than in my class. So there's that piece. A lot of pharmacies dispense medical advice for minor medical conditions. So they're a health resource for the community that oftentimes, especially If you're in rural areas or poor urban areas or suburban areas.

There's not necessarily a lot of physicians and nurse practitioners around to kind of do that clinical work. And then the other piece is in getting those medications, especially elderly who are on a lot of medications, treating chronic illnesses. And the more barriers that are put in the way of people being able to access their medications, people don't get their medications.

There's not necessarily a lot of physicians and nurse practitioners around to kind of do that clinical work. And then the other piece is in getting those medications, especially elderly who are on a lot of medications, treating chronic illnesses. And the more barriers that are put in the way of people being able to access their medications, people don't get their medications.

And ultimately, you know, whether it be blood thinners, you know, heart medications, things like that. I know that there was an article yesterday in The New York Times about pharmacy deserts more from a national perspective rather than our, you know, more regional view. But it's pretty alarming to see what some of the changes are in terms of morbidity and mortality.

And ultimately, you know, whether it be blood thinners, you know, heart medications, things like that. I know that there was an article yesterday in The New York Times about pharmacy deserts more from a national perspective rather than our, you know, more regional view. But it's pretty alarming to see what some of the changes are in terms of morbidity and mortality.

as it becomes more and more of a barrier for people to get their medications. And I do agree that certainly mail order is one part of a solution, certainly, but pharmacies offer so much more as a community health resource. And I just don't know how many people think of that, because you always think of a pharmacy as medications, but it's so much more than that.

as it becomes more and more of a barrier for people to get their medications. And I do agree that certainly mail order is one part of a solution, certainly, but pharmacies offer so much more as a community health resource. And I just don't know how many people think of that, because you always think of a pharmacy as medications, but it's so much more than that.

from a community resource perspective. And so I just wanted to put that on the table that this really impacts patients a lot and in a lot more ways than just getting their prescriptions filled.

from a community resource perspective. And so I just wanted to put that on the table that this really impacts patients a lot and in a lot more ways than just getting their prescriptions filled.