By PCCA

This Profile in Personalized Medicine highlights Your Discount Chemist Port Macquarie in Port Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia, owned by Fawaz Khodary, BPharm. They have been proud PCCA members since 2017.

How did you start compounding?

There was a genuine need in our community because there were no other compounding pharmacies in the immediate area. Since we already had a compounding lab in one of our other locations, we felt it just a continuation to go ahead and build a compounding lab in our pharmacy here. Then we made a business decision to build a second compounding lab. More and more, people are taking charge of their health, and that was becoming evident with the amount of compounding prescription requests we were receiving from prescribers.

What led you to PCCA?

Over time, we realized all the important aspects of being able to run and manage a successful compounding lab came from PCCA. Everything they did was cutting edge. From technical support to ordering support to event planning to PK Software, the team at PCCA is professional, and the support is second to none. In order to operate successfully, we needed the best support team providing the quality raw ingredients to provide our patients with the very best choices!

What has been your most satisfying patient experience?

This one happened very recently. We have been working with a patient who has had three unsuccessful attempts at in vitro fertilization. The fourth one worked, and her physician’s protocol included compounded progesterone pessaries, which we were able to help with. Recently, she brought her baby into the pharmacy. We were so genuinely happy for the family and proud to be part of their journey. She said thank you to our whole team.

What’s the biggest “aha” moment you’ve had as a member of PCCA?

Learning how all the calculations actually work — that moment that you get it!

What is your favorite PCCA base, and why?

LoxOral^® gives an option for patients with sensitivities. It reduces static and cuts capsule-packing time down by at least half, we would estimate. We also love SuspendIt^® with its unique thixotropic flow. We love ZoSil^® for animals as well.

When was the last time a patient thanked you, and why?

We get thanked every day from the patients who need compounds urgently, from the moms who haven’t slept because they have screaming babies needing omeprazole, to the local vets for whom we are able to provide fast, efficient service, to the patients who have let themselves run out of their medication, and when we say, “OK, well you can pick it up this afternoon,” and they say, “Oh thank you.”

What do you wish you could tell new compounders?

Take it one at a time; look after each and every patient; and in time, the business will build.

What’s your favorite thing about your job right now?

We love the environment we have, where there is a team involved in the whole process and we all look after each other.

What’s your personal motto or words to live by?

Be the change you wish to see in the world.