Conversations That Matter: Rural Pharmacy Engagement and Research Interest
by Amber Schinneller, 2026 PharmD Candidate, Ellie Maday, 2026 PharmD Candidate
In 2020, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Resources reported that while 25% of Wisconsin’s population lives in rural areas, only 11% of Wisconsin’s physicians practice in rural areas. A 2025 review found that patients in rural areas had higher mortality rates following hospitalization compared with patients residing in urban areas. Pharmacists are well-positioned to address this gap, as 99.7% of Wisconsin’s population lives within 30 minutes of a pharmacy. Medicare claims data from 2016 show that patients visited their pharmacy about twice as often as their primary care provider—13 times per year versus 7.4 In rural areas, the gap widened to 14 pharmacy visits compared with just 5 primary care visits annually.
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2026 January/February Table of Contents
In 2020, the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Resources reported that while 25% of Wisconsin’s population lives in rural areas, only 11% of Wisconsin’s physicians practice in rural areas. A 2025 review found that patients in rural areas had higher mortality rates following hospitalization compared with patients residing in urban areas. Pharmacists are well-positioned to address this gap, as 99.7% of Wisconsin’s population lives within 30 minutes of a pharmacy. Medicare claims data from 2016 show that patients visited their pharmacy about twice as often as their primary care provider—13 times per year versus 7.4 In rural areas, the gap widened to 14 pharmacy visits compared with just 5 primary care visits annually.
Download PDF
2026 January/February Table of Contents