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Pharmacy Update - December 12, 2006
MPA Board member Jim Seifert, R.Ph. and Executive director Jim Smith toured the Golden Triangle last week, visiting nearly 30 pharmacies in Great Falls, Fort Benton, Havre, Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank and Conrad. We stopped in at independent and chain retail pharmacies, as well as hospital and nursing home pharmacies.
It was an impressive tour. We saw plenty of patient oriented care and counseling going on in just about every pharmacy we visited. We saw, for example, Suzanne Light, R.Ph. in Havre counseling a young mother on the pediatric medicines she was getting for her child. We observed Pete McKeone in Conrad giving precise medication use instructions to a one-armed patient of his. Everywhere we went we saw clinical interactions between patients and pharmacists.
Pharmacists we met with on the Hi-Line and in north central Montana were cautiously optimistic. Having survived 2006 and Medicare Part D for the last 12 months, they’re ready for whatever might come next in the world of pharmacy.
Along the way we picked up some interesting news….
Peter Seifert, R.Ph. recently purchased the Bitterrroot Pharmacy from Wayne Hedman, R.Ph. The Bitterrooot Pharmacy was started in 1863. Located in downtown Hamilton, the Bitterroot Pharmacy is the oldest pharmacy in Montana. According to Jim Seifert (Pete’s Dad), things are going well for his son at Bitterroot Drugs. Jim is pulling a few relief shifts when he isn’t entertaining his two grandchildren in Hamilton.
Stuart and Kyla Anderson, R.Phs. recently purchased Snyder Drugs from Neil and Carol Snyder. Stuart and Kyla own the Anderson Family Pharmacy in Great Falls. The Family Pharmacy is in a clinic setting and specializes in compounding services for patients. Snyder Drugs is an old time, full service family pharmacy on the near north side of Great Falls.
Sean Campbell is the new owner of record at Village Drug Mart in Cut Bank. His father, Ron Campbell, R.Ph. sold the store to Sean a couple of years ago. Ron is still helping out at the store and he continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the United Drug Coop. Sean, who has worked as an aide for Senator Baucus in Bozeman and in Washington, D.C., is excited to be back home in Glacier County.
William Kimball and Francis Stack, R.Ph. recently combined forces to continue providing pharmacy services to the people of Chester. Francis, a pharmacist on the Hi-Line for over 40 years, was the owner of the Westhill Clinic Pharmacy; while Bill Kimball owned Liberty Drug on main Street in Chester. The short story is that Francis closed the Westhill pharmacy and went to work for Bill at Liberty Drug. The partnership between these two pharmacists assures continued pharmacy services to the folks in Chester and Liberty County.
In other news, we learned that Carla Cobb, Pharm. D., BCPP was recently elected President-elect of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists. Her three year term begins July 1, 2007. According to Carla, “I am very excited to be part of this organization and to represent my colleagues in psychiatric pharmacy. I look forward to continued work with MPA both as a member and from an organizational standpoint.”
Carla is a great resource to any pharmacist working with people who are prescribed psychiatric medications; and we suspect that includes quite a few Montana pharmacists. Many of you work directly with persons with mental illnesses through the Community Mental Health Centers. Others work with persons with developmental disabilities, or head injuries, or strokes, who may require psychiatric medicines. Still other pharmacists work with children or young adults who are prescribed psychiatric medicines. Please consider Carla Cobb as a colleague who is able and willing to help you with your questions.
Carla D. Cobb, Pharm.D., BCPP
Psychiatric Pharmacist
Deering Community Health Center
Montana Family Medicine Residency
123 S. 27th St.
Billings, MT 59101
406-651-6428 office
406-670-3722 cell
406-651-6406 fax
carlac@ycchd.org