The new Moose Jaw Co-op Pharmacy on Thatcher Drive East is now open and ready to serve the community, after a “soft opening” of the new building took place in June due to COVID-19 restrictions.
The new location is the second Co-op pharmacy now in operation in Moose Jaw, although the space in the new building allows for a few more services than the pharmacy located inside the Co-op Marketplace downtown.
Thanks to its size, the Hillcrest Co-op pharmacy has a handful of consultation rooms where staff can provide medication reviews, vaccinations and shots, and fittings for braces and other medical supports in a more private setting for clients.
“The ability for us to spend a little more time with patients is really important, and the fact that it’s a little bit quieter allows us to have more patient interaction, which is nice,” said pharmacy manager Whitney Striha.
Pharmacists are also able to provide medication compounding on location, meaning that they can fill prescriptions in different forms that aren’t necessarily commercially available.
“[For example], a medication that only comes in a pill, we can compound it into a liquid, essentially changing the formulation to better serve the patient,” said Striha.
The new location also carries a number of different products, in addition to all of the usual items one would expect to find at their local pharmacy.
This includes things like braces, slings and casts for all kinds of body parts, such as child-sized air casts, a line of compression sleeves popular with athletes, cryotherapy products for inflammation and swelling, and compression socks and tights in a number of styles and colours.
There is also a selection of home living aids, including walking canes, handles bars, and crutches, and Easy Care Living has a selection of their mobility aid products on the floor, including walkers of all types and price ranges, which can be serviced at their downtown location.
Co-op’s Hillcrest location also stocks a number of maternity products, including mesh undergarments, nursing products, and dye-free and scent-free products formulated for sensitive baby skin.
It will also be the first pharmacy in Saskatchewan to carry human donor breast milk for retail purchase, stocked by NorthernStar Mothers Milk Bank in Calgary, Alta., which is also the supplier for Saskatchewan hospitals.
“The uptake has been really good with [the in-hospital program], so we’re going to bring it into the pharmacy,” said Striha, who is a member of the local Baby Friendly Action Committee in Moose Jaw, alongside other healthcare experts.
New mothers will be able to obtain a limited amount of frozen, pasteurized donor milk without a prescription, to help supplement their own breastfeeding practices.
“It allows them to essentially give human milk before their milk comes in, or it's a really nice option for premature babies or moms that don’t want to give just formula. It’s a nice option to have in the community,” said Striha.
Overall, Striha is happy to be able to offer products at the new pharmacy that are meant for all types of patients with all kinds of needs.
“Everything’s definitely pharmacy-based with evidence and safety in mind. I wouldn’t bring in anything that I wouldn’t really recommend,” said Striha. “And we have lots of different distributors [so] if customers need something, I can always try and find it and get it in for them.”
The new pharmacy is a project that has been in the works for a while, with the location chosen because of the growing neighbourhoods in the Hillcrest area.
“We feel it's a good move to have a second pharmacy option for members,” said marketing and community relations manager Michaela Turner. “We think it will be a good fit for everybody [and] we have a lot of really good stuff happening right now, a lot of big projects underway, and we’re always happy to be a part of our community and to give back to our community.”
An official grand opening for the new location is set for August, but in the meanwhile, Striha welcomes Moose Javians to stop in and take a peek at the new building.
“We’ve been open a little over three weeks and it’s been good. The more people have come in and seen the space, everyone’s always really impressed with it,” said Striha. “I think it’s going to be a really great pharmacy that way, and hopefully we’ll be able to service a lot of people.”
The Co-op Pharmacy is located at 7 Thatcher Drive East and is open Mondays to Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
