This Profile in Personalized Medicine highlights PCCA’s 2022 Pharmacist of the Year, Steve Hoffart, PharmD, of Magnolia Pharmacy, Magnolia, Texas — a PCCA member since 2002.

We recognize your goal of including pharmacists in the “triad” of care (patient, physician and pharmacist). Is that what inspired you to get into compounding or was it something else?

Initially, care for patients on a more personal and customized level created my motivation to begin our compounding journey. As the years have gone by, developing and fostering deep and meaningful relationships with prescribers has become a larger part of our practice. It is powerful and rewarding as a pharmacist to have patients and physicians rely on you and achieve better outcomes through the high level of education and quality compounding we provide. These strong bonds create a solid backbone for the “triad” in our community.

Before opening in 2002, I created a business plan and leaned heavily on my friend and mentor, Fred Emmite, RPh. As a personal friendof PCCA CEO Dave Sparks, Fred suggested I look into this compounding company in Houston, as it may hold the keys to success in my pharmacy future. Little did I know at the time he was so right. The knowledge and expertise that PCCA provided me and my staff from the day we opened set the stage for our personalized medicine journey. I cannot imagine our pharmacy operations and my life without PCCA.

Several years back, we started compounding a combination of a low-dose steroid and low-dose antibiotic for eczema. The doctor who developed the theory behind its use has a large worldwide following and quite often we have patients reach out to us about this regimen for their infants and children who suffer horribly from eczema. One Friday afternoon, a father of a one-year-old infant called and told us the story of his child and how the eczema was so bad it prevented the child from sleeping, eating and even wearing clothes. Despite receiving the order for the compounded medication after 4:00 p.m., he begged us to get the medicine ready for his child before the weekend. Hearing the agony and distress in the father’s voice, we agreed to stay over and get the compound ready. On the way to pick up the prescription, he called and asked if my staff and I liked crawfish. We said that was a no-brainer! When he showed up to pick up the prescription, he brought 10 lbs. of boiled crawfish for us. After he left and we closed the pharmacy for the evening, my staff and I sat out on the tailgate of my truck and enjoyed the crawfish. We later found out from the father the compound cleared up the infant’s eczema and improved the entire family’s quality of life. A win-win for everyone.

Our pharmacy has always operated under the motto: If you take care of patients, as a side effect, you can make a living. That simple principle has been the driving force for our operations. Another secret to our success is having a caring staff that comes to work each day treating the pharmacy as if they are the owner. Creating a culture that fosters an outward mindset and hiring employees that are empathic, compassionate and conscientious has made our growth and success possible.

Of all the accomplishments and rewards I have received in my career, being awarded Pharmacist of the Year highlights the dedication I (and my staff) have committed to quality compounds and improving the lives of our patients. No other area of pharmacy can truly change, heal and serve every patient need like that of a compounder. The current state of traditional pharmacy has made the avenue of starting or growing compounding services more important than ever. Being a compounder requires a tremendous level of commitment and dedication. Lifelong learning is a must and creating a culture for your staff to grow professionally will develop a positive and nurturing workplace. Today’s patients are looking for wellness and healing. Whether you call it functional, integrative or personalized medicine, providing a healthcare destination with unique solutions provides for a career that is professionally rewarding like no other.

The future of our profession as compounders will only be possible with advocacy. With PCCA’s guidance and support, we must stay engaged on a local, state and federal level to ensure our patients do not lose access to customized medicine.