Missouri feeling the impact of nationwide pharmacy shortage

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3)—Pharmacies across the Show-Me-State are shutting down, creating a growing gap in access to essential medications.

Across the U.S., pharmacies are closing their doors, and Missourians already feel the impact.

“People are frustrated and, you know, not understanding what’s happening behind the counter, that takes that takes a lot out of you, and creates some burnout” said, Erica Mahn a pharmacist at Alps Pharmacy in Springfield.

She warns that the future of the profession is at risk, and if this trend continues, the Pharmacist shortage will only worsen over the next few years.

“Pharmacy schools are seeing a lower enrollment, and I think a lot of that does have to do with COVID, and all the times and things we saw during COVID, pharmacists had to take a lot on their shoulders…”

Because of the issue, many pharmacies across the Ozarks are closing early or shortening their weekly hours. Some are even closing down on weekends.

“Several stores just down the street the last three days haven’t had a pharmacist. So they’ve been closed. So I have had frustrated patients in here at our counter trying to figure out how they get their medications.”

But this isn’t the only issue. Another southwest Missouri pharmacist says the middlemen are “killing community pharmacies.”

One problem is that pharmacy benefit managers force small business owners to buy drugs at prices much higher than any reimbursement. This means the pharmacy loses money when you buy the drug from them.

The latest example of a business closing is Evans Pharmacy. Citizens Memorial Hospital recently bought two Evan Pharmacy locations in Bolivar and Buffalo. The Bolivar location will close on November 26. Patient prescriptions will be transferred to Stephens Pharmacy at Citizens Memorial.

“We want to continue to keep those customers that the Bolivar community has been serving over at Evans. We don’t want them to be forced to go anywhere else. We want to continue to provide that kind of service for them.”

The University of Pittsburgh tracks pharmacy closings and shows that 40 pharmacies have closed in the Springfield area within the last 10 years.

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