Pharmacists fill more than prescriptions

Feb. 27—ENID, Okla. — Local pharmacies have one common theme in terms of service: What's good for Enid is good for their pharmacies, and vice versa.

All agree their jobs are more than just filling prescriptions for customers and that the pharmacy business has undergone a number of changes over the years.

Rick's Pharmacy

Dr. Rick Hill, a pharmacist since 1983, sees himself as a go-between for patients, especially senior citizens, and their doctors.

"We're a big source of information for them when they've got questions about their medication that they didn't have time to ask the doctor or were afraid to say anything," he said. "They want to know what they are taking and why ... what we feel is right or wrong about it. That's what we're here for ... to tell them why they are taking it and what it's suppose to do for them."

Many older residents can be intimidated by doctors, whose time with them often is limited. A pharmacist more likely has developed a strong one-on-one relationship that builds trust.

"We want to help them to know what their medication is supposed to do so they can tell if it's working," Hill said. "If it's not, we need to know so maybe we can change it. The doctor may not have the time to tell them (in detail) what to expect from it."

Hill said pharmacists have an advantage of getting to know the patient, as well as his children and grandchildren, over the years.

"Everyone is different," he said. "You know to know the families to develop trust. A doctor may get to see them only for 15 minutes. It's harder for them to get to know what they need to know about them to know their needs."

Another function that Hill and his staff have offered in the past is giving flu shots. The pharmacy also supplies walkers, canes and braces as well as bathroom accessories, and most are open seven days a week. Hill said availability is crucial, pointing out a patient may need something from an hospital filled on a Sunday.

Sometimes, he said, their job is to be a friend.

"I think there are a lot of people who call to have something delivered on holidays just for that reason," Hill said. "That's OK. That part never changes."

The pharmacy also tries to support local churches and school activities.

"You have to give back to the community that has supported you," he said.

Hill and his staff also help clients deal with insurance issues.

"We have to work with them closely to get the best product for patient for insurance."

Scheffe's Prescription ShopSteve Pryor recently observed his 40th anniversary as a pharmacist. He has owned Scheffe's since 2007 and operated a pharmacy in southeast Kansas before that.

"We're able to do things now that we couldn't do 15 years ago," Pryor said. "We hope we can do more things in the future. We are limited by the laws of the state of Oklahoma what we can and can't do."

Scheffe's has been giving vaccinations for some 15 years and, more recently, have been involved in COVID-19 vaccinations.

They are involved in medication therapy management to help patients understand the medications they are taking and answer questions about them.

Pryor and other pharmacists have been working toward legislation that would allow them more freedom in managing diseases such as diabetes.

He points out pharmacists are highly trained professionals who could help people deal with diabetes or high blood pressure.

"That would allow us to adjust medication to control blood pressure so they wouldn't have to come back to the doctor in three months," Pryor said. "It would free up the doctors to see more new patients and take some stress off of them."

Pryor and his staff work closely with Clinical Pharmacy Enhance Network to not only to answer questions about the medication but work with insurance companies to defray costs.

"We have staff people who have diabetes educational training," Pryor said. "When the doctors don't have time to explain to it them, these people can be very helpful. We're trying to be different from what we have done in the past."

Scheffe's has a medical supply department that includes wheelchairs, walkers and hospital beds, among other medical needs.

Pryor and other staff members are active in civic clubs such as Rotary and have volunteered at Loves and Fishes and the Junior Welfare League.

"You need to know the person to help them," Pryor said. "We have continued to develop relations with people so we understand who they are and how to help them live a healthy life and have a more quality life. We have to do more than just take care of people's health."

Evans Pharmacy LLC

Kyle Whitehead is active in promoting Senate Bill 821, which he said would give patients more of a choice when it comes to obtaining their medication. Some residents are forced to use mail orders and points out that during the snowstorm important medication, such as insulin, couldn't be shipped immediately or experience delivery delays.

"If this (SB 821) is passed, local pharmacies could provide many more services," Whitehead said. "We take care of people when life happens, and life happens every day. We're taking care of our friends and neighbors."

Whitehead said if such legislation is passed, it could open more than 40 jobs.

"Mail order is sucking jobs out of the community pharmacy," he said. "If we can hire more people, it only benefits the community."

Whitehead said Evans offers free delivery, even through the bad weather witnessed earlier this month. They also offered curbside for those willing to drive to the facility but didn't want to get out.

The business also operates "a very robust home medical equipment department," Whitehead said, with setting up hospital beds in homes a key service.

Evans works closely with local hospices, as well.

"We do a lot of end-of-life work so the patient can go from the hospital to the home," he said.

Other key services are oxygen supply, a hearing aid center where patients can have a free hearing test, a weight loss consultant who is a licensed nurse and providing compound customized medications.

They will be offering COVID-19 vaccinations as well as children's regular immunizations and a vaccination for shingles. The staff has given shots to patients in cars when necessary.

Whitehead, who has owned Evans for 21 years, graduated from the University of Oklahoma School of Pharmacy in 1997.

Since that time, he said, pharmacists have had to spend more time working with insurance companies regarding coverage.

"The one thing that hasn't changed is our philosophy of taking care of people. We just make sure the insurance issue is taken care of."

Whitehead serves on the board of Hospice Circle of Love. It is a physical way he and his staff show they care about the community, as is knowing their work is important enough that no one missed a day through weather difficulties in February. A fact, he said, that makes him proud.

"We enjoy giving back to the community."

Family Pharmacy

Kurt Knop, a pharmacist at Family Pharmacy for 15 years, said "it's been a lot different from when I got out of school."

"I think we're getting better toward not only filling prescriptions but being more involved in how we're treating the patient," he said. "That's a good thing."

One key role the pharmacist has is going through the patient's medication history, Knop said. A lot of patients go through multiple doctors, and it's amazing how a medication one doctor prescribes is similar to what another doctor has given, he said.

"We make sure that everything goes the way it should be," Knop said. "We do a lot of disease management education. A patient can come in, and we can advise them on how to get more information and how to better manage what disease they have."

In the last 10 years, Knop said he has seen pharmacies deal more in vaccinations, including flu, shingles and tetanus shots. Family Pharmacy staff are preparing to give COVID-19 vaccinations, dependent on how much vaccine is received from the state of Oklahoma.

"We think of a pharmacy now as providing very accessible health care," Knop said. "We fill their meds every month or every couple of weeks. They may come to a pharmacy two or three times a month. We need to get those touch points with patients — that's a big benefit to us — and seeing that have a healthy history of medication."

Knop said new regulations have cut down on fraud in the industry, and a wise pharmacist is careful to make sure the prescription is legitimate.

"You get a feel for that sort of stuff," he said. "If it doesn't seem right, we can call and get it verified to make sure someone is not trying to pull something on you."

Knop has worked for both chain and independent operations such as Family Pharmacy. He prefers the latter for the personal touch services, such as deliveries.

"We're in a much better situation to take care of the patient and be on a more personal basis," he said.

Family Pharmacy has done a lot of compound customized doses for patients.

"Everything is not one case fits all," he said. "We do a lot with compounding hormones in pain creams. We do a lot of different things in the compound lab."

Another major change, he said, has been dealing with insurance companies. An insurance could change every year and sometimes changes twice a year, he said.

"Sometimes you could be taking a drug for a year and the insurance changes and you have to change it to something else," he said. "We're constantly working with insurance companies. It's a game that you have to play just to take care of the patient the best you can."

Campbell is a former sports writer and current part-time writer for the News & Eagle, enidnews@enidnews.com.

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