Pharmacy of the Future Opens Doors at NEOMED

f you haven’t heard of concierge service at a pharmacy, you haven’t visited the Ritzman Pharmacy at NEOMED yet. The pharmacy, located in the NEW Center, officially opened its doors to the public, Feb. 29, 2016.

From the outside, the pharmacy looks more like a boutique than a corner drugstore. Decorating touches reflect Ritzman’s long history. Updated-vintage burgundy labels mark each bottle in the wide array of supplements that sweep across the front shelves. A display near the entrance offers health and beauty products made in Ohio, some from a line created by television star and Garrettsville native Monica Potter.

The moment you walk in, you know the so-called Pharmacy of the Future experience will be different. First stop: the concierge desk, where you can simply ask to pick up your medicine, or request a one-on-one conversation with a pharmacist in one of the private consultation rooms. Most likely, that conversation will be with NEOMED alumna and managing pharmacist, Hannah Cross, Pharm.D. (’13).  It’s an opportunity to ask about drug interactions or other concerns in a personal, private setting.

On the opposite side of the store is an interactive room for NEOMED pharmacy students and faculty. While students will often go offsite for training at one of the more than 100 pharmaceutical locations at which NEOMED partners, they now also have the opportunity to stay on campus and learn about patients’ health needs in a care setting that is designed to serve the whole person. In addition to the managing pharmacist, two fourth-year pharmacy students will serve as interns on rotation, further developing their interprofessional education in the team-based setting. Faculty will serve as preceptors.

At the back of the store is the tech bar, where customers can learn about innovative gadgets like the Temp Traq, a patch placed on the skin that sends temperature reports to your phone—a boon, say, to parents might need to temporarily leave a feverish child with a babysitter.  Another invention is a transdermal patch that delivers medicine, designed for patients who have trouble swallowing pills.

“It feels fantastic to be back on campus in a collaborative learning culture,” said Dr. Cross. “The campus has grown so much and is better than ever as an environment that stimulates learning and putting that education to practice.”

Ritzman Pharmacy at NEOMED is open to the public, with special events that encourage people to come in the store to learn more about health and wellness. The Pharmacy is holding a community open house today, with the following daily specials to mark the opening:

Monday, March 7: 20% off essential oils
Tuesday, March 8: 20% off Zinger products
Wednesday, March 9: 20% off Trace Minerals items
Thursday, March 10: 3 for $5 Bounce Protein Energy Snacks
Friday, March 11: 30% off Ritzman brand Four Pillars of Health and Chewable Vitamin C

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Questions? Call Ritzman Pharmacy at NEOMED, 330.325.0589.