Wegmans pharmacist named among the top 10 pharmacists in the country

Oct. 9—WILKES-BARRE — Jennifer Doran of Wilkes-Barre, a pharmacist at Wegmans, has been named among the top 10 pharmacists in the country and she received the 2022 "COVID Cares Pharmacy" in the Best of the Best Pharmacy Awards.

October is American Pharmacists Month and SingleCare, the free prescription savings service, has announced the winners of its fourth annual Best of the Best Pharmacy Awards, recognizing outstanding pharmacy staff across the U.S. that go above and beyond to serve their communities.

For nearly 30 years as a pharmacist, Doran has gone above and beyond for her customers, who praise her for her kindness and patience.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Doran was always there to help her customers any way she could, including personally delivering medications to a customer who had tested positive for COVID and was unable to leave her home.

The COVID Cares Pharmacist award is presented to a pharmacist who has shown exemplary service and empathetic care during the COVID pandemic. SingleCare's Editorial Board, including SingleCare in-house pharmacists and former Best of the Best winners, evaluate thousands of nominations, ultimately selecting winners based on the stories that most exemplify the award pillars of exceptional customer service, patient education, and delivery of prescription savings.

A news release announcing the award to Doran cited several testimonials from customers. The names were not release doe to confidentiality precautions.

"I couldn't find my prescription about a week after I had picked it up." one customer said. "It was nowhere. I called Jennifer panicking and crying. I knew the insurance company wouldn't understand and had rules. She calmed me down and said, 'We'll work through this.' Within a few minutes of hanging up, she called me back and told me my pills were ready for pick up. She was able to work something out — what, I don't know. And there was no charge!"

Another customer said, "I have watched her while I was waiting in line to pick up my prescription. So many times, I have seen her helping people work through apps to get the best price if their insurance is more. I have heard her gently speak to elderly customers who need extra help. She never brushes anyone off!"

And another offered, "She will come out personally from behind the counter to help you choose the correct over-the-counter meds."

Karen Zaczyk, Pharm D., Wegmans Pharmacy Operations Manager-Pennsylvania Division, also offered comments.

"We are so excited to celebrate Jennifer as the SingleCare COVID Cares Pharmacist for 2022," Zaczyk said. "In her 15 years at our Wilkes-Barre store, Jennifer has always gone above and beyond to provide kind, compassionate service to our customers. Even in the face of a challenging time, Jennifer always takes the time to build meaningful, long-lasting relationships with each and every patient she connects with and she is an inspiration to the rest of our team. Congratulations Jennifer!"

Doran, 51, lives in Lehman Township with her husband, Brian, and their two children. She said she was very honored to receive the award.

"An award like this kind of validates what we do every day at the pharmacy," she said. "As do all health care providers. We try to make people's lives a little better by serving them. I'm very pleased that a few people reached out and spoke on my behalf. It re-energizes me to do a better job."

Doran said she received her Bachelor of Science from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in Philadelphia. She said she has been a staff pharmacist at Wegmans for 15 years. Prior to that she spent three years as a staff pharmacist at CVS; 4 years as pharmacy co-manager at CVS'1 year as clinical pharmacist at Geisinger Health Plan; 5 years as a floater pharmacist at CVS, for a total of 28 years in pharmacy.

Doran was named Wegmans Employee of the Month four times and she received the Wegmans Superstar Customer Service Award.

Doran said it was her love of science — but disdain for blood — that first drew her to a career in pharmacy. But she quickly added, it's the people she serves that keep her where she is, which for the last 15 years has been Wegmans store #077 in Wilkes-Barre.

Doran is still getting accolades from customers who praise her for her kindness and patience. Many of them are retirees, she says, and she treats them exactly the way she'd like people to treat her parents (who are in their 80s) — with respect and empathy.

It's that attitude — combined with her above and beyond work during the height of the pandemic — that earned Doran the 2022 COVID Cares Pharmacist award.

"In the beginning of the pandemic — when we didn't have treatments for COVID, and people weren't getting out as much — I had one particular customer call me hysterically crying that she had tested positive for COVID," Doran said. "She received some prescriptions, but we don't have a delivery service at our pharmacy, and she couldn't leave the house nor did she have anyone who could pick them up for her. I told her I would just leave the medications on her porch on my way home."

The customer was so grateful, she sent a thank you card with an Instacart shopper who dropped it off at the pharmacy.

"Many months later she came in and pulled me aside and let me know she was the person I had helped out," Doran said. "She wanted to let me know how much she appreciated it. My response was, 'It was no big deal. It was on my way home. We're all in this together.'"

Doran said she was surprised and excited to hear that she won the award — and it was completely unexpected.

"When you come home at the end of the day and you're tired, it's nice to know that you've been acknowledged," she said.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.