Technology has come a long way from where it was a decade ago. Drake alumni Dr. Munashe Kaseke ('12) realized in pharmacy school that there was limited - if any- information about Zimbabwe's pharmacy practices. She took this problem into her own hands and created a website - Impact Pharmacy - to be able to address and fill the gap of information on the web. What was the undertaking that she had to do? How did it become successful? And where is it going? Dr. Kaseke addresses all of these. This article is about everything from how she began a website that changed the availability of information to all and how it grew over time to create opportunities for students in Zimbabwe.
Pharmacies are similar in many ways, but what makes them each unique can be determined by the communities in which they reside in. Katterman's Pharmacy, co-owned by Dr. Beverly Schaefer, has worked over time to slightly tailor their services to be more in line with the specific needs of their own community. Being a part of a community and working continuously to reinvent their pharmacy every few years is what allows Katterman's to be so successful. What service do you see that needs to be addressed in your community? What is the unmet need? Katterman's Pharmacy has figured it out.
Dr. D.J. Larson is the current vice president of sale and marketing for Lehan Drugs. Lehan Drugs is more than a normal community pharmacy. They have taken a step forward to provide additional services that are not commonly seen in pharmacies today. One of their main focuses? Women's health. Located in three locations in Illinois, all of their pharmacies offer prosthetic fittings for patients - with certified fitters, as well as cover a variety of additional products for women whether they are moms-to-be, breast cancer survivors, or need items to help manage other symptoms that come along with age. Dr. Larson believes in helping the community to the best of their efforts and in treating every patient with the same care as if they were family.
Osterhaus Pharmacy members also traveled to six different states in order to gain feedback from progressive community pharmacies. Finding the best aspect of each one, Osterhaus Pharmacy then combined those aspects in a cohesive manner to create what the pharmacy is today. With around four pharmacists frequently working at the same time, multiple technicians that are always present, and a dispensing computer system that includes an electronic patient chart, Osterhaus Pharmacy is certainly different for the better.
Baystreet Pharmacy, based in Sebastian, Florida, opened in 1984 with the goal of being a one stop shop for the neighborhood. The owner, Dr. Theresa Tolle, wanted to have a traditional community pharmacy, but also one that specialized in diabetes and home health care. She calls Baystreet Pharmacy a traditional pharmacy, mostly apothecary in nature, with a smaller front end compared to other pharmacies. Baystreet might seem like many other independent pharmacies, but this isn’t necessarily the case. While they have a strong prescription department, they also have an area for durable medical equipment, and have their number one focus as diabetes - due to the demographics of their area.
