Whether you need a flu shot or just want to stay on top of your medications, pharmacies can play a vital role in your daily life. But as you may know, not all pharmacies are created equal.
A recent report from J.D. Power takes a look at how customers feel about some of the most popular pharmacies in the United States. The 2022 U.S. Pharmacy Study, which ranks companies on a 1,000-point scale, shows that customers are increasingly using their local pharmacies to access health care.
“Customers are beginning to embrace their retail pharmacy as a hub for a broad range of routine health and wellness services,” Christopher Lis, the managing director, global healthcare intelligence at J.D. Power, said in a news release. “This transformation is happening simultaneously with rising competition from online retailers such as Amazon. … This is an opportunity for more retail pharmacies to innovate as a one-stop shop for routine care and to leverage data and technology to create an increasingly personalized customer experience.”
What Are the Top-Ranked Pharmacies?
For the sixth consecutive year, Good Neighbor Pharmacy ranked highest among brick-and-mortar chain drugstore pharmacies, according to the report. The pharmacy had a score of 740.
When it comes to brick-and-mortar mass merchandiser pharmacies, Sam’s Club ranked highest with a score of 759. It’s the seventh straight year Sam’s Club finished at the top of the category.
H-E-B’s score of 785 was tops among brick-and-mortar supermarket pharmacies for the second straight year, according to the report.
With a score of 734, Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy ranked highest in the mail-order category.
The report is based on responses from more than 12,000 customers who filled a prescription at a brick-and-mortar or mail-order pharmacy in the past year; they were surveyed between September 2021 and May 2022.
The pharmacy types covered in the study are:
- Brick and Mortar – Chain Drug Stores
- Brick and Mortar – Mass Merchandisers
- Brick and Mortar – Supermarkets
- Mail-Order Pharmacies
Let’s take a look at the rankings, which are based on a 1,000-point scale.
The Best Brick-and-Mortar Chain Drug Stores
Pharmacy | Score |
Good Neighbor Pharmacy | 740 |
Health Mart | 723 |
Walgreens | 660 |
Rite Aid Pharmacy | 651 |
CVS Pharmacy | 646 |
Average Score in Category | 656 |
Now let’s take a look at pharmacies in what J.S. Power calls “mass merchandisers”: warehouse stores.
The Best Brick-and-Mortar Mass Merchandisers
Pharmacy | Score |
Sam’s Club | 759 |
Costco | 749 |
CVS / Pharmacy Inside Target | 713 |
Walmart | 667 |
Average Score in Category | 700 |
Do you frequent the pharmacy inside your favorite supermarket? Here are the best ones, according to customers.
The Best Supermarket Pharmacies
Pharmacy | Score |
H-E-B | 785 |
Wegmans | 754 |
Publix | 747 |
Stop & Shop | 707 |
Albertsons | 705 |
Hy-Vee | 701 |
Walmart Neighborhood Market | 692 |
ShopRite | 686 |
Fry’s Pharmacy | 679 |
Kroger | 673 |
Giant Eagle | 663 |
Safeway | 655 |
King Soopers | 644 |
Average Score in Category | 695 |
Finally, let’s see which mail-order pharmacies customers view highly.
The Best Mail-Order Pharmacies
Pharmacy | Score |
Kaiser Permanente Pharmacy | 734 |
CenterWell Pharmacy | 699 |
OptumRx | 694 |
AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy | 661 |
Express Scripts | 660 |
Walmart Pharmacy Mail Services | 660 |
CVS Caremark | 651 |
Average Score in Category | 675 |
Download and read the complete survey on J.D. Power’s website.
Looking to cut your health care costs? Read our guide on the best pharmacies with $4 prescriptions.