By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
First Care Pharmacy is now open for business inside the Express Care entrance, 13th and Main, of the First Care Clinic in downtown Hays.
One of the biggest advantages for patients of either the clinic or express care is the convenience, says Tami Zimmerman, pharmacy director.
"Patients can go to their appointments and if they require a prescription at the end of that appointment, the provider sends it right over to us. We can usually have it ready in 15-20 minutes, depending on how many prescriptions there are, barring any complications or drug interactions, things like that," Zimmerman said.
Even more convenient is the free delivery service of your prescription to your Hays home or business.
"We've had quite a few people come in to the Express Clinic and come here after their appointment and say they're not feeling well and ask us to deliver their prescriptions to their home when it's ready," she said. "It's worked out really well for them."
Zimmerman has nearly 29 years of experience in the industry, is a Hays native, and a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy.
She previously worked at corporate pharmacies and loves helping people.
"I thought I wanted to be a teacher, and then I got to work in a pharmacy, which wasn't even on my radar," Zimmerman laughed. "I didn't realize how much I was going to enjoy it, ... especially at First Care."
Customers have told her how much they enjoy seeing a friendly face.
"We have a more personal approach as somebody who cares about them," she said.
Zimmerman oversees a staff of four.
First Care Pharmacy is an "open door" pharmacy, although it carries just a small amount of retail, over-the-counter medicines for colds, headaches and other minor illnesses.
"Most of my inventory is for patients here," Zimmerman said, "but I can help anybody in the community, and they can take advantage of that free delivery as well."
In order to stock and open the pharmacy, which is scheduled for a Hays Chamber ribbon cutting and brick presentation from the Downtown Hays Development Corporation Wednesday morning, Zimmerman thought carefully about the clinic's patient load.
"To develop our initial inventory, I just looked at the majority of medications our providers were prescribing, and that's the inventory I started with," Zimmerman said. "Obviously, I didn't order everything ... but I took the things we fill quite a few prescriptions of and stocked it that way. Anything else, I can pretty much get the next day.
"Even if that retail patient comes in, and they see somebody out at HaysMed and then come over here, if I don't have it that day, I can usually have it the next day," she said.
Zimmerman estimates there are more than 600 First Care Clinic patients taking some kind of prescription drug prescribed by its providers.
First Care Clinic is a 501(c)3 nonprofit federally qualified health center providing health care services for people of all ages, regardless of the patient’s ability to pay. It provides services and medications on a sliding-fee scale to those who qualify.
The pharmacy participates in the federal 340B drug pricing program which is funded by the drug manufacturers, Zimmerman said. Patients who qualify for the sliding fee scale can receive their medications at significantly lower prices.
"The pharmacy is such a really crucial component with a person's healthy lifestyle and our ability to care for the whole patient," said Eric Flax, First Care Clinic CEO. "They were able to get quality healthcare before and now they're also able to get affordable medicines that will help them stay healthier, keep them healthier, and keep them out of our clinic.
"I'd much rather have our providers see their patients for annual wellness exams as opposed to catastrophic things," Flax said. "It's healthier for the patients and the community. We are now able to extend our level of care beyond the clinic into allowing them to have the meds they need to stay healthy."
First Care is unique in that its main clinic is the only one in the area that houses family medical care, mental health services and general dentistry, all under one roof.
Express Care and the pharmacy are accessed at 1301 Main, while the main clinic is right around the corner at 105 W. 13th.
First Care also operates another medical clinic at 1923 E. 22nd St., site of the former Hess Clinic.
First Care Clinic welcomes all patients and accepts all major insurances.