This Profile in Personalized Medicine highlights Brad White, RPh, and Paul White, RPh, the owners of Medicine Center Pharmacy in New Philadelphia, Ohio. He has been a proud PCCA member since 2005. Our new 2023 profiles ask pharmacy compounders how they incorporate PCCA’s Principles into their own pharmacies. 
 

What’s your favorite PCCA Principle? Why?  

Embrace Change and Growth – Part of being an independent pharmacist in a community pharmacy is leveraging your knowledge, creativity, the talent around you and available technology to overcome the obstacles in your way. What could be more challenging than being a problem solver in health care?  Pharmacy can be the most frustrating or the most rewarding profession. How you respond to the challenges and obstacles determines how you impact your community. The ability to learn, change, adapt and grow in your role and practice determines your outcome. Our opportunities are only limited by our vision. 

What three PCCA Principles do you emphasize in your practice of compounding or at your pharmacy? 

Speak Straight – One of the most challenging things as a second-generation pharmacist in a 49-year-old family company is pitching and fighting for changes and enhancements to legacy beliefs and ideas. It requires communication, persistence and explaining the WHY to make progress against the headwinds of reluctance to change. It conditions you to fight for what you believe in, and to be persistent.  

Bring Your Best Self Every Day – In pharmacy, it always seems someone, or something, is against us. On any given day it could be an ingredient shortage, insurance company denial, a federal agency changing the playing field or changes to industry best practices. I have been working for the last few years on working to channel my best self. Early in my career, there was no nobility in being vulnerable. It was all about “being tough” or saying “I can handle it.” Now I focus daily on self-care, meditation and Stoic teachings to strive to be the leader that the company needs me to be.  Many days I succeed, and some days I stumble, but I am working diligently to support the team and our pharmacy. 

Collaborate – I have been so fortunate in my 26 years as a pharmacist to have worked with some amazingly talented team members. We could not achieve what we have nor help as many patients as we have without the care and dedication of amazing people. There is no way I could ever do it all alone. From my parents as mentors in the pharmacy to the amazing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who work to deliver our services to make our communities a better, healthier place. I am so proud of those that have been on this journey with me and shared the experience. One of my favorite things is to give a problem to the team to solve. It makes me so happy when they find a solution or system that works better than the one that I had in mind.  

How did you start compounding? What led you to PCCA?  

I knew of PCCA as the authority in compounding out of college. We were struggling for an identity to set ourselves apart from the big pharmacy chains. In 2004, on the recommendation of a colleague, I dove in and took the plunge. From the beginning, PCCA was clearly a different type of organization. I know of no other community of excellence that is on par with PCCA. The education, leadership, resources and support were then, and continue to be, exceptional. PCCA has helped guide us to be a destination for providers for solving problems for tough-to-treat patients. 

As a “Lifelong Learner,” what is your favorite PCCA education program or event and why?  

This is an extremely hard question. PCCA education events are so amazing and packed full of tools to help you support your patients. I value and have so much respect for those I have met and have supported us in our journey. That said, I enjoy the Concierge Compounding events. There is always cutting-edge info from attendees that I have so much respect for. What we can accomplish together is inspiring. 

As you strive to “Deliver Results,” what has been your most satisfying patient experience or toughest patient problem?  

I strive to be one to put systems in place to overcome what I call “customer service failures.” It could be an out-of-stock item or simply a late delivery. This is part of my continuous quality improvement process to find the way and implement a system or solution to prevent customer service failure from happing again. It could be improving workflow, education, execution, etc. We are always looking to make our system better to minimize the chance of disappointing a patient or caregiver.  

My most satisfying patient experience was at a low-dose naltrexone (LDN) seminar I was presenting at and, unknown to me, one of our patients stood up and told her story about how our LDN compound had helped her get her life back. I still get goosebumps replaying it in my mind. You may never know to what extent you touch someone’s life, and when you learn of someone who you have had a huge impact on it is humbling.  

As a member of PCCA, what is the biggest “aha” that has come from “Being Curious”?  

I have been so lucky to be a part of dozens of PCCA educational events. I love having the PCCA Clinical Services team and my Concierge Compounding colleagues as part of my toolkit to be able to step back, look at a problem and think of diverse ways to approach the problem with a variety of solutions. You say, “Be Curious” and I think of one of my favorite episodes of Ted Lasso when he is playing darts with Rupert. What better habit can we cultivate than asking questions to help us solve patient problems? I can think of none better. Biggest “aha” moment must be “ask questions and listen.” You can learn a lot by listening more than talking. 

What is a “WOW” moment you’ve had as a member of PCCA?  

I have so much respect for the members who have blazed the way, the consultants that support us with our sometimes simple to often challenging patient problems. The members, staff and guest speakers who appear on stage. I am so flattered and humbled to be part of this recognition experience. My team works hard to take care of patients and solve their problems every day. This honor really belongs to them. It is my hope that I can assist in some small way to bring out the best in them.  

What is your favorite PCCA base and why?  

SuspendIt® is my favorite base because I feel like it provides so many solutions for pediatric patients.