"Family Owned and Operated"
Most people assume that the local compounding pharmacy they trust with their prescriptions is owned by a pharmacist, or at least by a medical professional. Because the pharmacy is not one of the big chains, they assume it is independently owned and operated by the pharmacist, or at least by someone local and in the medical field. Not necessarily true.
In Florida, one does not have to be a pharmacist to own a pharmacy. This makes pharmacy ownership, particularly compounding pharmacy ownership, an attractive venture for corporations that run pharmacies as a business in the strictest sense, putting profits above people.
Patients may be unaware that what seems to be an independent pharmacy is actually part of a group or network of pharmacies , not unlike the more familiar retail chains. Typically referred to as a "health care group" or something similar, many of these smaller corporations have from 3 to 100 pharmacies that were previously independently owned. Corporation headquarters may be in another state , and the corporate owners may have little or no understanding for the unique medical/pharmacy issues in Florida. Formerly independent compounding pharmacies are then run by the corporation, following policies and procedures of the corporation, and their business model is now part of the corporation.
The transition is usually seamless for the patients.Changes are implemented slowly over time.The name may not even change so many patients don't realize that their compounding pharmacy has changed ownership.
Why should you care?
What should be the primary goal of your compounding pharmacy?
Should the professionals making your medication focus on health care or profit?
What happens when those profit margins begin to shrink?
Pinellas county recently lost a compounding pharmacy that was in this exact scenario. A long-established compounding pharmacy recently purchased by a corporation was closed down when revenue no longer met corporate expectations. Closed. Shut down by owners who declared bankruptcy and will move on to their next business venture. Patients and physicians left behind by a corporation disappointed with lower profit than anticipated.
"Family Owned and Operated"
What it means to you
Family. Long established , family owned businesses are stable community fixtures. This is our livelihood. This is our job. This is how we feed our families and put our kids through college.
We live here. Our kids go to school here. We have friends here. We do our grocery shopping here. This is where we run our errands, go to church, and the thousand other things that make this community our home.
We have the flexibility to weather the storm with you. Small family businesses understand market ebb and flow, the peaks and valleys . We do not run at the first sign of trouble. We come up ways to make it through the leaner times , so that we can be here for years to come.
WE ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.
We will continue to be a reliable resource for quality compounds and information that we have been since we opened in 2008.
Thank you to our patients and health care providers for making it all possible.
We appreciate your trust and support.
Live & Learn Compounding Pharmacy extends an invitation to former patients of TCS Labs , formerly The Compounding Shop, to join our community. We would be honored to have you trust us to fill your compounded prescriptions. We love to see our patients in person, but we understand if you can't come by so UPS shipping is available. Your health care provider may call or fax your prescription to us. Please feel free to call us with any questions you may have.
phone: 813-341-1050
fax: 813-341-1051
