Savings

• Many general practices are choosing to open their own pharmacies, cutting the cost of prescriptions for their patients. The in-house pharmacy model also saves time by having direct communication with the doctor, on site, rather than communicating with a distant pharmacy.
  
  

Patience Compliance

• Patient compliance with filling the prescription and taking the medication is also increased by the in-house pharmacy. Doctors and other healthcare providers can make sure that their patients leave the premises with the medications in hand. This also increases the likelihood that they will take their medications on schedule.
  
  

Insurance Companies

• Insurance companies are likewise choosing to operate their own pharmacies to regulate prescription medication costs and to ensure that their insured policy holders have access to quality, low-cost medications that are covered under their policies.
  Some concerns with the crossover of insurance companies into the pharmaceutical business is the possibility that cost effectiveness may potentially play a bigger role in choosing a "just as good" alternative over a very good medication. Since the early 1980s, many insurance companies have managed in-house pharmacies, playing a larger role in the healthcare of their policy holders.
  
  

Profit Increase

• Operating an in-house pharmacy increases the profits of the prescribing health care provider and the associated health institution. In essence, the independent pharmacy no longer holds a middle-man position in filling patients' prescriptions.
  
  

Features

• In-house pharmacies typically dispense brand-name and generic medications, as well as Schedule II and III medications. They are also licensed to prescribe injectable medications, hormonal prescriptions and other medical products that are dispensed by a licensed pharmacy and pharmacist.
  
  

Automatic Prescriptions

• Some in-house pharmacies feature automated prescription services, where prescribed medicines are dispensed from a machine. These automated systems are generally located in a hospital's emergency department. This service is available 24 hours a day, and it is designed to eliminate the extra, late-night trip to an outside pharmacy. Such a model is practiced at St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center located in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
  
  

Concerns

• There are some concerns with operating in-house pharmacies. Some are concerned that these pharmacies will be less regulated than the conventional pharmacies. Furthermore, these in-house pharmacies, because of their connection with a healthcare institution, may receive greater discounts from pharmaceutical manufacturers, further straining the smaller independent pharmacy businesses. Even though it is contended that the in-house pharmacies face more regulations than standard pharmacies, especially due to their facility location and its efficient disbursement of medications, the in-house pharmacy business can potentially replace the local pharmacy store.