Over the past couple of decades, home delivery has evolved from simply being an extra “bonus” service that pharmacies can provide to their patients, to becoming a necessary solution for patients to receive their medications. The stay-at-home ordinances and vulnerability of at-risk patients in 2020 were a catalyst for pharmacy delivery to change from being a luxury to an expectation. According to Business Research Insights, the global prescription delivery service market was valued at around $0.25 billion dollars in 2025, and is projected to grow to about $0.91 billion by 2034.
An aging population and rise of delivery services from every corner of the market has changed consumer expectations so that delivery is seen as a necessity, and more than just a convenience. Aging patients that were once able to drive to their local pharmacy to pick up their medications are now forced to seek other options, such as delivery from big chains. Pharmacies are learning that to continue to serve their loyal patients, they must seek delivery solutions for their patients to continue to receive their medication.
By offering home delivery pharmacies are able to improve medication adherence, strengthen patient loyalty, and increase competitiveness with big-chain pharmacies. According to Reuters, Amazon Pharmacy plans to expand same-day prescription delivery to about 4,500 U.S. cities and towns by the end of 2026. According to AP News, retail pharmacies like CVS Health delivered over 4 million prescriptions via same-day service in 2023. Delivery options are now a part of the ever-growing list that independent pharmacies need to implement to continue to compete against the biggest pharmacy goliaths.
But how does a pharmacy find the best delivery solution for them? Should they take their pharmacy technicians away from the pharmacy and send them out in their own vehicles? It may save the pharmacy money from not hiring a dedicated driver, but vehicle expense and liability can be devastating in the case of an accident. Should they purchase their own dedicated delivery vehicle and hire a dedicated driver? Labor costs, vehicle payments, insurance, maintenance, and gas are not realistic for many pharmacies. Should they use a ride-share company like Uber? Uber is a well-known brand, but the drivers are not trained pharmacy professionals, and inconsistency and cost per delivery can squeeze their margins even further.
To begin, a pharmacy must understand the cost components that affect an independent pharmacy’s delivery service. The two most obvious are labor costs and transportation/ logistics. Driver wages (including mileage, benefits, and overtime), pharmacy staff time (additional packaging & coordination time), and administrative overhead (scheduling deliveries, patient communication) can accumulate quickly, and are a necessary factor to understand. Transportation and logistics can add up quickly as well. Mileage and fuel, vehicle maintenance and insurance, route planning tools/ software must also be considered, and pharmacies in rural areas with long distances between stops can feel these costs the most.
While these may be the most obvious delivery costs, many pharmacies aren’t aware of the true cost of their in-house delivery service. They only consider the obvious when calculating their delivery margins, such as gas and the drivers’ wages; but there are many more “invisible” factors that actually show the trust cost of delivery so pharmacies can understand the difference between a delivery service that is truly profitable and one that is unsustainable.
They’ve crunched the numbers to find that the average true cost of an in-house delivery service is $6,566 per month. While this number may sound a bit high for just the obvious expenses (your in-house drivers’ wages, basic benefits, gas, maintenance, insurance), other costs and liability protection are often overlooked. Parking tickets, tolls, vehicle registration, vehicle maintenance in case of an accident, hiring employees, workers compensation, and other fees are all pieces of the delivery service puzzle, and when they all pile up, can turn a seemingly well-oiled machine into an expensive headache.
There are delivery solutions available that many independent pharmacies are unaware of that provide consistency, affordability, and peace of mind. For example, Medzoomer has identified the most overlooked and expensive delivery costs and protects pharmacy owners from delivery liability. Medzoomer offers same-day delivery within a 3 hour window and covers all liability for pharmacies, drivers, and vehicles so that if (and when) accidents happen, pharmacies won’t carry the burden. By charging a flat rate per delivery, Medzoomer takes the guess work out of delivery costs so pharmacies can know exactly what their delivery costs are, every time. Real-time GPS tracking helps pharmacies and patients stay confident that their medications will arrive on time and the transparency incentivizes patients to continually use the service. Medzoomer hires a dedicated driver for each of their partner pharmacies that are all background checked, drug screened, motor vehicle screened, uniformed, and HIPPA-compliant to serve as a true extension of each pharmacy.
The data shows that patients’ delivery expectations are here to stay, and for independent pharmacies to continue to compete in an ever-changing landscape, they must understand the true cost (and necessity) of an efficient delivery service.
Let Medzoomer take on your delivery aches and pains with reliable, same-day delivery. Expand your reach to 50+ miles with real-time GPS tracking and 24/7 customer service. A fully HIPAA-trained, licensed, and insured courier will serve as an extension of your pharmacy so you and your staff can focus on what matters most: delivering expert care to your patients. You handle the care. We handle the delivery.
