What is the Difference Between Specialty and Retail Pharmacy

When you are living with a rare or complex health condition such as an autoimmune disease, cancer, or genetic disorder, it can become daunting trying to access your specialty medications.

You might be surprised that you can’t fill your prescriptions at your local, retail pharmacy and will need to use a specialty pharmacy, like Apothecare Select, to access your medications. So, what is the difference between retail and specialty pharmacy? These are the key differences:

Pharmacy Focus

Retail pharmacies provide a variety of medications for common conditions and everyday health needs, including over-the-counter medicines. Sometimes retail pharmacies provide services such as immunizations or health screenings.

Specialty pharmacies, on the other hand, take care of patients with rare, chronic, or complex health conditions. These conditions require special types of medications like biologics or select oral medications that require special monitoring and administration. 

Medication Types

Retail pharmacies carry a variety of medications, from allergy medications to antibiotics. They also offer toiletries, cosmetics, and over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen and vitamins. 
   
Specialty pharmacy medication types include drugs for conditions like cancer and other serious or chronic illnesses. Specialty pharmacy medication types typically include specific oral medications that require increased monitoring and self or clinic administered, injectable medications. Medications at a specialty pharmacy, like Apothecare Select, often have special storage guidelines or intricate dispensing instructions.

Patient Care

Retail pharmacists see a wide range of patients. Retail pharmacists help with filling prescriptions, provide basic guidance on drug interactions, and answer common health questions. The focus for retail pharmacies is making access to medications convenient, quick and hassle-free. 
   
Apothecare Select pharmacists work closely with patient’s healthcare providers to manage and monitor complex therapy regimens. Our pharmacy team provides patient education, including detailed medication instructions and potential side effects. Our pharmacists provide regular follow-up with patients to see if their medication needs to be adjusted or how they are tolerating the medication. Additionally, they assist patients with the health insurance and financial assistance processes.

Pharmacy Accessibility

Retail pharmacists serve the general population, and the locations are easily accessible. Communities usually have several pharmacy options to choose from. These pharmacies are often found inside grocery stores or other retail stores, which makes it easy for people to grab their prescriptions while they’re out doing errands.  
  
Specialty pharmacies can be a bit harder to find compared to retail pharmacies because of the specific medications they handle. To make prescriptions more readily available for patients, Apothecare Select offers home delivery to help get prescriptions into the hands of patients more easily. Home delivery is particularly beneficial for patients who may not live near our specialty pharmacy or can’t visit our location in person.

Summary

Each type of pharmacy plays an essential role in healthcare. Retail pharmacies are the perfect choice for patients looking for commonly prescribed medications. For those needing assistance navigating and managing more complex health conditions, specialty pharmacies are a better choice.   
  
Apothecare Select is here to help you with your specialty medication needs. We work alongside our patients to make sure they are receiving the best possible care. To speak to one of our specialty technicians or pharmacists, call (620) 240-8904 or email apothecareselect@chcsek.org.