6 perfect times to try a virtual pharmacy

Life gets busy. Maybe your car won’t start, or your calendar is so packed that you don’t have time to run errands. Whatever the reason, getting to a pharmacy can sometimes be difficult. But don’t rearrange your schedule. There is another convenient option: ordering your medications online. And you can have them delivered right to your door.

With online pharmacy services such as at the Optum Store, you can easily find over-the-counter (OTC) medications, fill your prescriptions and buy everyday health essentials.

Online pharmacies are just like your neighborhood drugstore, except you can get the same services by tapping a few buttons on your phone. Questions about your prescription? “You still have access to pharmacists and can talk with them if you have any questions,” says Audrey Amos, PharmD. She’s a drug information pharmacist at RVO Health in Overland Park, Kansas.

Virtual pharmacies are totally safe. And they’re convenient and hassle-free. In fact, you can reach many online pharmacies 24/7. Here are 6 perfect situations to try them.

You live in a rural area

Not everyone lives close to a pharmacy. In some rural areas in the US, there is only a single local retail pharmacy. And it may not carry everything you need, such as specialty medications. Some towns may have no pharmacy at all.

There are 46 million people who live in rural places, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. If you’re one of them, online pharmacies make your life easier. You can order your medications by mail if they aren’t available locally.

Optum Store pharmacy services offer free prescription delivery in all 50 states. And your medication can be at your doorstep in 5 days or less.

You’re too busy to make it to the pharmacy

You’ve gone from work meetings to the grocery store to your child’s soccer game. You simply don’t have time to head to the pharmacy and pick up your prescription. Or you work the night shift and need to sleep during the day when stores are open.

Sometimes your schedule doesn’t line up with your local pharmacy’s hours. You need an alternative. Online pharmacies allow you to check a task off your to-do list by sending medications right to your door.

A perk of Optum Store’s virtual pharmacy services is that you can manage prescriptions for your whole family at once. Instead of driving to the pharmacy several times a week, you just need to go online. All the medications you need for yourself and your family — done.

Whether you have a new prescription or need a refill, the Optum Store can help you save on your blood pressure medication — and have it shipped right to your door.

You hate going out in the winter weather

It’s no secret that some parts of the US get very cold. Icy roads and snowstorms are the last conditions you want to be driving in. Save yourself from having to bundle up to head to the pharmacy. Virtual pharmacies can get you the medication you need from the warmth of your home.

Plus, with winter weather comes colds and the flu (and don’t forget about COVID-19). Sometimes, it makes more sense to get your health essentials shipped instead of heading into a store, especially when you or those around you are sneezing and coughing.

You have a hard time remembering to refill prescriptions

You forgot to refill your prescription again. Now you’re wondering if it’s too late to call the pharmacy.

“If you’re forgetful, virtual pharmacies can help you with compliance,” says Amos. It removes a barrier to remembering to refill and take medication, she adds. When your prescriptions show up when you need them, you’re more likely to take them.

With your prescriptions at an online pharmacy, you never have to worry about forgetting a refill again. Many have auto-refill options.

Pharmacy services at the Optum Store have this handy feature, too. Once you turn it on, you’ll receive refills automatically. The system even remembers shipping time, so your medication will arrive before you run out.

You don’t have reliable transportation

If you don’t have a car or public transportation nearby, traveling to the pharmacy can be a hassle. And family and friends aren’t always available to offer a lift.

Don’t pay for a shared ride. But don’t miss out on getting your health essentials either. Transfer your prescriptions to a virtual pharmacy without worry. Then you can get your medication without leaving your couch.

You’re ready to save some money

We all know medications can cost a lot. In fact, the average American is expected to spend about $190 per year on prescription medications by 2026, according to the Pew Research Center. But virtual pharmacies can help you out here. They often offer low-priced prescription options compared to brick-and-mortar stores.

With online pharmacy services such as the Optum Store, you can save an average of 78% per month on prescription costs. And if there is a less expensive medication available, you can buy that option with or without insurance. There’s also free delivery — allowing you to save time and money.

Transfer your prescriptions to an online pharmacy for a hassle free experience.

The Optum Store can help you save on your medication — and deliver it right to your door

Learn more

Additional sources
Rural population: U.S. Department of Agriculture (2021). “Rural America at a glance”
2026 prescription cost projection: Pew Research Center (2018). “What do you know about prescription drug costs?”