Walmart Opens Maryland Hub to Fill 100,000 Prescriptions a Day
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Walmart has opened a sprawling pharmacy hub in Maryland where robots and dynamic weighing systems will help fill 100,000 prescriptions per day for shipments to 16 states and Washington, D.C.
Located in Frederick near the center of the retailer’s Eastern regional network, the 102,000-square-foot centralized processing facility is Walmart’s largest such operation, with ample capacity to provide pharmaceuticals for 700 stores.
“With this launch, Walmart continues to scale its Central Fill operations to meet growing demand for faster, more convenient pharmacy services including online shopping with fast delivery of prescriptions as well as pharmacist-provided clinical services including immunizations and testing and treatment for strep throat, flu and COVID,” the company stated.
When fully staffed, the facility will have 200 employees and automate prescription workflows through advanced robotics and dynamic weighing systems. Employees will include pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, patient safety associates, security staff and human resources personnel. The facilities are designed to help Walmart speed prescription shipments so store pharmacists can focus more on customers and less on processing prescriptions.
“The process handles everything from pill counting and labeling to capping and sorting, with a focus on refilling maintenance medications for chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes,” Walmart explained.
The facility, which has been in development since early 2023, is near the intersection of Interstates 70 and 270, about 50 miles west of Baltimore. Walmart on June 20 held a grand opening ceremony.
“Together, we are building strong partnerships to create jobs and address the everyday needs of Marylanders,” said Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. “This new facility marks the next chapter in our work to build pathways to work, wages and wealth while prioritizing access to health care and opportunity.”
“This facility represents the next chapter in how we care for our customers,” said Kevin Host, senior vice president of pharmacy at Walmart. “With greater efficiency behind the scenes, our pharmacists can spend more time in front of patients — offering expert guidance, building trust and delivering better health outcomes.”
Next year, the company plans to open similar Central Fill facilities in Arizona and Missouri.
Walmart has 4,000 stores located in areas facing shortages of medical providers. Consequently, its pharmacies in many communities have become the most accessible option for many clinical services, especially during evenings and weekends when other providers may be unavailable. In fact, 75% of its pharmacy clinical services are performed after 5 p.m., such as flu shots and vaccines.
By shifting prescriptions to these centralized facilities, in-store pharmacists can increase pharmacist-patient interactions by 30%, Walmart said. This can include services like diabetes management, testing/treatment and patient counseling.
Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater said: “We are thrilled to welcome Walmart’s largest pharmacy Central Fill facility to Frederick County. I’m pleased that our Workforce Services team was able to assist with recruitment for the 170 new positions created by the center. This state-of-the-art facility is a significant investment in Frederick’s growing biopharma industry, further solidifying our region as a hub for innovation and excellence.”
Walmart ranks No. 1 on the Transport Topics Top 100 list of the largest private carriers in North America.
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