Pharmacy Data Consolidation: What Patients & Providers Need to Know

The integration of pharmacy data into broader healthcare systems remains a critical challenge for patient access and outcomes as of April 2, 2026. As patients access more services from pharmacies, the data interoperability of those pharmacies becomes increasingly important to the healthcare system at-large. Pharmacy teams’ ability to provide optimal care and meaningfully contribute to the value-based care transformation depends on their ability to access and contribute to patients’ clinical records. Similarly, hospitals, clinics, labs, and other providers need to know the information stored in pharmacies’ systems if they are to appropriately serve their patients.

Progress and Gaps in Data Interoperability

Reports from Leavitt Partners highlight important progress toward pharmacy data interoperability. This includes the use of clinical documentation systems, increased data sharing during the COVID-19 pandemic, state health information exchanges, the Pharmacist eCare Plan, vaccination registries, prescription drug monitoring programs, and standardized data application programming interfaces. However, useful as they are, these tools are insufficient and incompletely implemented. Opportunities exist to address these gaps and promote broader pharmacy data interoperability that elevates the effectiveness and efficiency of the healthcare system.

The report recommends steps that federal and state policymakers, technology and electronic health record companies, health plans, pharmacies, and other healthcare providers can take to strengthen pharmacy data interoperability. Without these measures, the data interoperability gap for pharmacies may continue to hinder optimal care delivery. The ability for providers to access and contribute to patients’ clinical records is foundational to the value-based care transformation.

Broader Consolidation in Health Care Markets

Beyond data specificities, consolidation in health care provider markets continues to influence costs and quality. According to an issue brief published by KFF on April 19, 2024, national health spending totaled $4.5 trillion in 2022, representing 17% of gross domestic product. This spending is projected to grow faster than GDP through 2031, contributing to higher costs for families, employers, states, and the federal government. Policymakers have been increasingly attentive to consolidation in health care markets, including mergers and acquisitions of health care providers.

Consolidation may allow providers to operate more efficiently, and could help struggling providers keep their doors open in underserved areas, but also often reduces competition. A substantial body of evidence has found that consolidation has led to higher prices, but the evidence on quality is unclear. In response to concerns about the effects of consolidation and reduced competition on prices and quality, regulatory bodies have taken action. The Federal Trade Commission recently authorized a lawsuit to block a hospital acquisition in North Carolina, according to the KFF brief. The FTC, Department of Justice, and Department of Health and Human Services issued a request for information seeking input on the effects of consolidation involving health care providers.

Legislative and Technical Developments

Legislative frameworks continue to evolve alongside technical capabilities. Guidance regarding the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 outlines what plan sponsors and pharmacies need to know and how to use it. This legislation operates within a landscape where data consolidation in the electronic health record enables better patient care. Efficient data management enables healthcare providers to make evidence-based decisions, improving the quality of care.

Health Exec notes that data consolidation provides a solid foundation for data analytics. This feature empowers patients to access their records easily and promotes continuity of care. When medication reconciliation data is consolidated in the EHR, it supports the continuity required for safe treatment across different provider settings. These technical advancements are necessary to support the broader policy goals of interoperability and competition.

Recommendations for Stakeholders

Addressing the challenges of pharmacy data interoperability and market consolidation requires coordinated action. Leavitt Partners notes that important progress has been made, yet tools remain insufficient. To close the data interoperability gap, stakeholders must implement measures that promote broader pharmacy data interoperability. This includes actions by federal and state policymakers as well as technology companies.

• Federal and state policymakers must support measures that strengthen pharmacy data interoperability.
• Technology and electronic health record companies need to ensure standardized data application programming interfaces are fully implemented.
• Health plans and pharmacies should collaborate to elevate the effectiveness and efficiency of the healthcare system.
• Regulators continue to monitor consolidation effects on prices and quality through lawsuits and information requests.

The intersection of data interoperability and market consolidation defines the current healthcare environment. As national health spending grows, the efficiency of data exchange becomes paramount. Pharmacy teams must be able to access and contribute to patients’ clinical records to provide optimal care. Without meaningful contribution to the value-based care transformation, patient access and outcomes may be compromised. The ongoing work by organizations like Leavitt Partners and regulators like the FTC underscores the imperative for patient access and outcomes in this evolving landscape.