Your local Shoppers Drug Mart is celebrating a gold Best of Airdrie award that is driven by product availability, friendly customer service, and a ready to help patients.
Associate owners Mohamed Radwan, Arsen Gincher, and Eric Selinger thank the community for the award and discuss an important innovation taking place in their Airdrie locations.
Pharmacist Radwan says, “All four stores in Airdrie offer a range of cosmetics as well as medication and food. The pharmacy, which is the main focus of the stores, is opening pharmacist-run clinics that are walk-in to help ease some of the strain on our doctors.”
He continues, “The Market Street location has the clinic open already, with another one opening at our 8th and 1st location soon. Most stores also have prescribing pharmacists to help customers have better access to the medications they require.”
The pharmacist-run clinics are ideal to help patients access the care they need in a time where finding a doctor in Alberta is increasingly difficult. The Alberta Medical Association estimates that are currently searching for a family doctor. These numbers mirror a national crisis where approximately lack access to a regular family physician.
The federal response coupled with provincial changes have resulted in few solutions for the growing crisis, leaving many patients feeling stranded and frustrated. With its ready network of locations across Canada and with local trust and engagement within each community they serve, Shoppers Drug Mart is in an ideal position to step in and make a difference, as seen with the pharmacist-run clinics in Airdrie.
Even outside of the clinics, many are unaware of the range of services a pharmacist can provide. In addition to filling prescriptions, pharmacists:
- Dispense Medications: Accurately prepare and provide prescription medications to patients as prescribed by healthcare providers.
- Medication Counseling: Offer advice and information to patients on how to take their medications properly, including potential side effects and interactions.
- Health Screenings: Conduct health and wellness screenings, such as blood pressure measurements and cholesterol tests.
- Medication Therapy Management (MTM): Review and manage patients' medication regimens to ensure they are effective and safe.
- Administer Vaccinations: Provide immunizations for diseases such as influenza, HPV, and COVID-19.
- Collaborate with Healthcare Providers: Work closely with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to optimize patient care.
- Monitor Patient Health: Track the effectiveness and safety of medications and make recommendations for adjustments if necessary.
- Educate Patients and Public: Offer educational sessions on various health topics, including disease prevention and healthy lifestyles.
- Handle Insurance Claims: Assist patients with insurance claims and understand the coverage related to their medications.
- Provide Drug Information: Serve as a resource for drug information to both patients and healthcare providers.
- Emergency Medication Supply: Ensure availability and access to emergency medications for critical situations.
Your local Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists participate actively in these diverse roles, playing an integral part in the healthcare system, contributing to patient safety, education, and overall well-being.
The associate owners are very invested in the health of patients, and they are very invested in the teams that provide outstanding customer service in each of their locations, citing the staff as a big reason why Shoppers was able to achieve gold in the contest.
“Our teams are one of the biggest factors to our success; having the right people in the right place,” smiles Gincher. “And our loyalty program helps us stand out from our competition as does our focus on the customers and patients.”
Selinger concludes, “We would like to thank both our customers, patients, and teams. We are always looking to advance the ease of access to help all of our patients have faster and more direct routes for their medication and pharmaceutical needs.”
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