pharmacy - WKTV Journal

By Brett Gingrich, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy Services at Cherry Health

Cherry Health’s Pharmacy is located in Heart of the City Health Center and provides prescription services for all Cherry Health patients, as well as the general public. The pharmacy also provides a 340B discounted pricing program for Cherry Health patients who qualify for the program. The 340B program is funded by manufacturers of medications and is not federally funded. This means the pharmacy can buy medications from these manufacturers at a discounted price vs. other retail pharmacies. The savings are then used in many ways including these below:

We give the savings back to the patient through our pharmacy sliding fee program. Patients without insurance or even under-insured patients can buy medications at a more affordable price. This is one way we keep medication costs down, so that our patients can take the medications they need, and therefore increasing access.
We also use the 340B savings to increase access to more services. The 340B savings we receive contribute to services such as: patient education, translation, and transportation services along with many others which otherwise may be limited. The 340B program helps make these services sustainable.

The 340B program’s original intent may need clarification, but for Health Centers in Michigan like Cherry Health the program is vital to our patients and the services we provide. The program increases access to affordable medications and furthers Cherry Health’s mission to improve the health and wellness of our patients while encouraging access. So, whether you are insured or not — I encourage you to talk to your Cherry Health primary care physician to see if our Heart of the City Pharmacy is the right fit for you! Delivery services to other select Health Centers are also available.

In need of a refill on your prescription? Check out Heart of the City Pharmacy’s Health Mart page here!

By Victoria Mullen

Do you shudder at the thought and inconvenience of scheduling a doctor’s appointment to get a flu shot? Even if you’re a fan of seeing the doctor—and personally, I know nobody who is—the waiting times can be long and annoying. Well, there’s another, more convenient alternative: Your friendly neighborhood pharmacist.

And you don’t even need an appointment.

Michigan pharmacists are licensed and trained to administer any vaccination; the most common are flu, pneumonia, shingles and whooping cough. And because pharmacists are required to keep updated on new regulations and methods, they are a reliable source for information and care.

Harboring doubts? These facts should put your mind at ease:

1. Pharmacists are the most accessible health care professionals and community pharmacies typically have flexible hours, including evening hours. If you work nine to five, this is a game-changer. You won’t need to take time off work, and chances are, you live within five miles of the nearest pharmacy, so it should be a short trip.

2. State law permits pharmacists to administer immunizations in the state of Michigan. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control recognizes pharmacists as key contributors to immunization efforts.

3. Your neighborhood pharmacist can give you personalized support. Your immunization records are available for review and he or she can evaluate your requirements based on age, lifestyle, health status, occupation and other health conditions. You’ll get specific recommendations on what you may need. Because recommendations may change annually, you could be behind on something and not realize it.

4. Best of all, you can add the trip for your flu shot to your other regular errands like grocery shopping or picking up prescriptions.

Now there really isn’t any reason for putting off that flu shot!