GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — If you live here in Michigan, you're gonna have a new place to pick up your prescriptions—just don't expect any pharmacists to be there.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill making Michigan the 24th state to allow remote pharmacies.
They're supposed to help people living in rural areas have better access to pharmacy services.
"I think it's a great idea," pharmacist and host of the Business of Pharmacy podcast, Mike Koelzer said.
Over the years, pharmacies in rural areas have closed because communities were unable to support them.
"Walmart has laid off like 600 pharmacists and independent pharmacies are closing. They say that within two years, 50 percent of the independent pharmacies will be closing down," Koelzer said.
Companies and consumers are opting for home delivery or mail order, rather than in person face-to-face sales.
"A lot of pharmacies are going out of business and this includes, well, there's 200 Walgreens pharmacies going out of business in the nation this year," Koelzer said.
Patients would use audio and video technology to speak to their pharmacist prior to purchasing their medication.
"The pharmacist his or herself would not be there. It would be a video screen of them counseling the patient," Koelzer said.
Koelzer believes the video chatting with your pharmacist may be an even better option than in person visits.
"I would rather take a video conference than, an interrupted and possibly not even happening face to face conversation in a pharmacy," Koelzer said. "I think in theory, pharmacists will say that it should be done in person. I think in reality, how available is the pharmacist when they're trying to churn out prescriptions because of the low reimbursement rates."
A remote pharmacy can't be located within 10 miles of a regular pharmacy and can dispense an average of no more than 150 prescriptions a day.
"Some of the ones that you think of that are busy on busy corners, that might be 800 or 100 prescriptions. Mail order companies are thousands and thousands of prescriptions," Koelzer said.
The law will take effect in three months.
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