HealthPartners to close 30 retail pharmacies
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HealthPartners will close its 30 retail pharmacies next year, putting roughly 300 employees out of a job.
The pharmacies are located inside HealthPartners, Park Nicollet, Central Minnesota and Stillwater Medical Group clinics. They’ll shut down between January and April of next year.
These pharmacies were profitable for many years, but company officials say the industry is shifting too fast for them to keep up.
“Consumer preferences and pharmacy economics have changed,” Healthpartners vice president Scott Schnuckle said in a statement. “[Consumers] favor large-scale organizations able to support extended hours, drive-through pickup, and other conveniences we’re not able to offer.”
Schnuckle added the decision to leave the retail pharmacy operation was “difficult.”
Of the 300 HealthPartners employees set to lose their jobs, 100 are pharmacists. Schnuckle said the company will be “supporting our colleagues through the transition,” as well as working with patients to find new pharmacies.
HealthPartners will continue to operate its specialty, infusion and hospital pharmacies.
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