Steven Dershowitz, Head Community Pharmacist at Rye Beach Pharmacy for 16 years now, takes as much pride in knowing every last one of his customers as he does in the pharmacy’s array of services.

By Janice Llanes Fabry

Steven Dershowitz, Head Community Pharmacist at Rye Beach Pharmacy for 16 years now, takes as much pride in knowing every last one of his customers as he does in the pharmacy’s array of services.

“I know everyone by name and I do my best to make everyone feel comfortable enough to speak to us about any medical issues they want to discuss,” he said. “They have a friend they can rely on here.”

In-patient counseling is certainly a top priority at Rye’s only independent pharmacy. The neighborhood fixture, owned and operated by the GiaQuinto family for 65 years, also specializes in compound medications for humans and pets, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy, diabetic care, and natural health products.

Dershowitz, himself, has been wearing a crisp white lab coat for over 45 years. Before working in Rye, he was the owner of Wykagyl Pharmacy in New Rochelle. With the same sensibility, he promotes Rye Beach as if it were his own.

“All of our pharmacists have an excellent rapport with customers and their physicians, whom they are in regular contact with,” he noted. “There is a personal touch in everything we do, whether it’s helping a new customer have his information transferred from another pharmacy or specially formulating medications for individual patients.”

Indeed, the compounding specialists at Rye Beach Pharmacy’s second floor state-of-the-art laboratory prepare prescription medications by hand as per a doctor’s specifications.  As Dershowitz explained, “Rather than patients with chronic pain repeatedly swallowing a pill that causes gastric upset, the lab can prepare a topical solution that can be applied to reduce pain and inflammation.”

Using only the highest quality, FDA-inspected chemicals, pharmacists and technicians formulate a myriad of medications for those patients who might not respond to traditional treatments, whether a customer requires medication of a different strength than what is commercially available or a one of a different flavor or color. Rye Beach Pharmacy invites customers to go upstairs and catch a glimpse of their laboratory through the windows.

Dershowitz also confers with Rye Beach Pharmacy’s surgical supplies certified fitters and nutrition consultation services when needed. “We dispense medication and if we feel particular nutrients go hand in hand, we speak with our patients about it,” he noted.

Despite the changes in medicine the last several years, the more stringent government regulations and skyrocketing costs, Dershowitz remains steadfast to his commitment.

“My personal motto has never changed: Always treat a customer as if she were your mother.” He added, “We are one big family here and we always strive to make people welcome and help them in any way we can.”