Publix Super Markets has introduced pharmacy curbside pickup in four states.
The Lakeland, Fla.-based supermarket chain said this week that the service, accessed via the Publix Pharmacy app, is now available at pharmacy stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Virginia, with selected locations excluded. Plans call for the grocer’s North and South Carolina pharmacies to launch curbside pickup at a later date.
To use the service, customers order prescriptions or refills through the Publix Pharmacy app or online at publixpharmacy.com and will receive a notification when their scripts are ready. Next, they click on the curbside pickup option and pay via the app or website. Upon arrival, customers park in the designated spaces for curbside pickup, call the number on the sign and inform customer service. An associate then brings the order to their vehicle.
“Our customers enjoy the convenience of curbside pickup for their grocery orders, so we are excited to add prescriptions to that offering,” Publix Vice President of Pharmacy Dain Rusk said in a statement. “Whether customers choose to shop in our stores or from the comfort of their cars, we are committed to providing the same great service from our pharmacies.”
Curbside pickup for prescriptions is available during Publix Pharmacy’s hours of operation at no additional cost. Prescription costs and co-payments are collected during the prepay process on the app or website. Controlled substances, purchases through Medicare Part B and age-restricted medications aren’t eligible for curbside pickup, Publix noted.
An online pharmacy account is needed to use curbside pickup for prescriptions. Customers can set up an account at rx.publix.com or by downloading the pharmacy app and following the instructions to create an account. Through the website and app services, pharmacy patients can manage all household prescriptions in one account; check prescription status, history and refill details; and pay ahead so medications are ready when they arrive.
Overall, Publix operates 1,300 stores, most including pharmacies, in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.