OBJECTIVE： To analyze the feasibility of chain pharmacies to undertake the pharmacy function of primary medical institution. METHODS： Investigation and questionnaire survey were conducted among chain pharmacies， community health service institutions and patients from 25 provinces （cities） in China. Hardware conditions of chain pharmacies were investigated； pharmaceutical care of chain pharmacies was compared with that of pharmacy in primary medical institutions； the service levels of chain pharmacies were evaluated. The feasibility， problems and suggestion about chain pharmacies to undertake the pharmacy function of medical institution were analyzed. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS： A total of 301 chain pharmacies， 324 primary medical institutions and 320 patients were investigated； 252， 278 and 291 effective questionnaires were collected， with effective recovery rates of 83.7％， 85.5％ and 90.9％， respectively. Chain pharmacies had shown a certain scale or reached a certain level in business area， staff， training and drug supply. However， there were deficient in some pharmaceutical care. Patients were greatly satisfied with pharmacist’s service in chain drugstores. About 70％ patients believed that chain pharmacies undertook the pharmacy function of primary medical institutions. Chain pharmacies already had the feasibility of undertaking the function of pharmacy in primary health care institutions in respects of business area， personnel and training， hardware and equipment， drug supply capability， independent drug circulation system and rich pharmaceutical care form. There were some problems such as small number of staff， uneven hardware and level of pharmaceutical care， construction deficiency of information management system （customer relationship management system， enterprise resource planning system， intelligent business management system）， weak ability to prepare TCM decoction pieces， deviation in social responsibility. Chain pharmacies should strengthen and improve the service level， set up the area of pharmaceutical care area rationally， carry out pharmaceutical care practically， increase the types of TCM decoction pieces and strictly control the storage of TCM decoction pieces so as to meet the demand of patients and enable chain pharmacies to undertake the function of pharmacy in primary health care institutions.