Shop Local at Richmond Village Pharmacy
[dropcap]M[/dropcap]Meet Georgeta Botehkan and her staff at the Richmond Village Pharmacy, you know the place, right next door to Christopher’s Meat Market at 6146 Perth St.
A little over a year and a half ago when it was rumoured a pharmacy was going to open next to Christopher’s I wondered how that could be possible. There wouldn’t be room for everything I thought was a necessary part of a pharmacy today. Well, I was wrong! It is just the right size and may be a model for the future taken from the past. I also had never met Georgeta to understand her passion for professional service.
It was a few months after opening before I made my first visit. Georgeta had launched a colourful and effective campaign to “shoo the flu” … I bit and got shot! I was immediately impressed by the personal service provided, Georgeta’s professional demeanor and the time she took to explain the flu vaccine. The place was immaculate, well organized, friendly and thoughtfully equipped with complimentary coffee and even chocolates to treat customers who might be waiting for a perscription or other services. I decided then and there I would be back whenever I needed a prescription filled!
So who is Georgeta? What is her business philosophy? Georgeta and her close friend, pharmacist George O’Donnell, both worked in retail pharmacies and wanted something different. Georgeta [pullquote-left]“I wanted to start a business where the main purpose would be clinical, a small pharmacy with no shampoos, magazines, etc.”[/pullquote-left]managed a large pharmacy in Barrhaven but wanted to spend more time with people. “I knew that people need more knowledge to go along with their medications. The more you educate the patient the more he or she will be able to care for their condition. I wanted to start a business where the main purpose would be clinical, a small pharmacy with no shampoos, magazines, etc. … a place that focused on personal service.” stated Georgeta. George O’Donnell (absent from the Photo) shares Georgeta’s philosophy and helps out on occasion when needed.
Georgeta sees herself and her staff as a team of healthcare professionals. Not only is she a Pharmacist but she is a certified diabetes educator and an authorized injection administrator. We are fortunate to have that skill available in Richmond. For example, if you are diabetic and your endocrinologist gives you a prescription to follow for say 3 months, you can arrange with the Pharmacy to follow your case. The prescription can be easily adjusted at home if needs be. Your Pharmacist can also extend prescriptions for chronic conditions without a repeat trip to the Dr. in certain circumstances. With over 400 flu shots administered this season and the ability to administer vaccines for travel and other purposes you can appreciate there is more to this pharmacy than meets the eye!
A growing business and a staff of five is proof her philosophy is working.
Looking to the future, Georgeta doesn’t see herself as being in competition with the large chains or larger drug marts. A bigger change on the horizon is the online pharmaceutical stores like AMAZON that are getting into the dispensing business and will deliver prescriptions directly from the Dr.’s Rx pad to your door. Obviously, the personal service and counselling will not be the same with online dispensing. What will the risks be to public health that will need to be managed?
The pharmacy tagline “It’s all about your health” speaks volumes. Georgeta summed up this interview with a pledge that “so long as I am here I will work on personal service and your health to shift the focus away from machine dispensing.” Georgeta may just be on to the right business plan for the those that value personal service and their health.
If you want to learn more about free annual “Medschecks”, diabetic services, free home delivery, business hours or discounts offered just visit the pharmacy website at Richmondvillagepharmacy.ca.
