“No, this is not another article about alternative sources of supply – Canada, the Internet, Mail Order, etc. Your best bet is actually around the corner at your local pharmacy or you can also rely on Canadian pharmacy online.”

 

By Peter Jovanovich

No, this is not another article about alternative sources of supply – Canada, the Internet, Mail Order, etc. Your best bet is actually around the corner at your local pharmacy such as https://www.rxoneshop.com/pharmacy-distributor.

Recently, we sat down with Steven Dershowitz, lead Pharmacist at Rye Beach Pharmacy, about how independent drugstores cope in an era of fierce competition. “We face chain stores and mail order firms, and our customers must deal with the incessant push by insurance companies to use their outlets for drugs.”

Then, how do you independent drugstores compete?

“Through information and service,” Dershowitz replies. “Regularly, we explain to patients how the drugs they are taking interact with other drugs, what the side effects are, and what additional vitamins or minerals are they may need to take,” says Dershowitz. “I spend a great deal of time listening to customers about their medications, and explaining when to take them, with or without food, what to expect in terms of side effects, etc. Drugs are complex, and many customers value our ability to help them navigate the world of medications.”

“And we sometimes see when one doctor is prescribing medicine that may have an adverse interaction with medicine prescribed by another doctor for the same patient.” In that case, an independent like Rye Beach Pharmacy will call the doctors, make them aware of the conflict, which may lead to changes in dosage and so on.

As many customers are discovering, it’s getting more and more difficult to get certain medications. Concerns about substance abuse have led to prescriptions being of more limited duration with few or no refills. When a long weekend looms, or you are about to go on vacation, it can be extremely frustrating trying to track down where your drugs are.

“We call the doctors, the hospitals, and follow-up to get the medications authorized. Sometimes it takes repeated calls. That’s one of the incalculable benefits of a local pharmacy,” says Dershowitz.

This writer can attest to the tenacity of an independent like Rye Beach Pharmacy. Hospitals and large practices can be a maze to navigate. My doctors prescribe a lot of medication for me as a lung transplant and heart stent patient, but that doesn’t automatically mean that the drugs are available the next day, or the day after, or the day after that. It takes follow-up by your pharmacist.