Little Things.....

"Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things."
-- Lawrence Bell


Sometimes people say that it's the little things in life that matter most.  I'm sure we can all think of examples of that, be it the way a toddler's hand fits around your pinkie finger or the smell of freshly cut grass and so on that gives us fond memories of days ago.


Little things can mean a lot in the retail world as well.  Have you ever been at a store and asked someone where a particular item was and they just point in the general direction and say "it's over there."  Couldn't that person have taken the little bit of time and walked you to the location and made sure that you found what you are looking for?  Just a little thing, but it means a lot.


I know personally that I received the best customer service ever at one of the most unexpected places ever- the Oklahoma Tax Commission, yeah blew me away too.

Another aspect of "little things" are the ones we start learning from day one in our lives that help us prepare for the future.  Think about going through kindergarten, we learn letters, numbers, colors and why? Most of us already knew them before going into the class anyway.  But, what it also taught us was how to behave and interact in different situations as well as laying the foundation for the next grade where we would learn how to put letters together to make words and how numbers can be used for various equations and applications.


Sports are the same way.  The little things like putting your pinkies together when catching a baseball below your belly button or stepping to your target when you throw all lead to more advanced instruction later.


Some of the little things in the pharmacy that we strive to pay close attention to are obvious- the right drug, the right directions and doctor.  But there are a few more little things that we provide that we are proud of as well.


One would be dealing with insurance companies.  Whether there is an issue with a prior authorization or day supply, we do all that we can to make sure you are getting the medication and care you deserve.


An example of another way we deal with insurance companies happened just the other day.  One of our patients had recently changed jobs, he had new insurance but didn't have the card with him.  Because of our experience, we were able to locate that person's insurance information and had his prescription ready to go without having the person having to wait while the new information was put into our system.


Perhaps its when a patient calls about some possible side effects of a medication, its not unusual for us to print out a sheet describing the medication, showing its purpose and then explaining what they might feel after taking said medication.  Then, the next day, following up with that person to see if they are feeling any better or if there were any problems.


Why do we do this? Good business practices? Maybe.  Because we care? Definitely.  Either way that question is answered it can be best defined as making you the patient our number one priority.  Please note that we, of all people, know how various medications can interact with individuals and want to be sure that their needs for those medications are working. The key word there is individuals, you are not a statistic but rather a person that has your own body chemistry and ability to tolerate various medications and combinations thereof.  While we are not able to tell you immediately what the medicine will do for you, we will be able to provide information that can let you know what to expect.  Not only does it make our job much easier, but also helps you-the patient- get the best value for your time and money.  Let's face it, we all have busy lives and don't really want to spend it in doctor's offices or pharmacies. 


That being said, we strive to provide the highest possible service and value to our patients so that they can get the most of the medication their doctor has prescribed for them and you can get on with your own life feeling as well as possible. 


So the next time you are in a store, ask around and see if you feel you are being taken care of, then come on by Heritage Pharmacy and experience the difference. 

Organic vs. Conventional, Brand vs. Generic and other things

Ahh, spring is here.  Birds are singing, days are warmer, flowers blooming, baseball season opening up and so on and so on.  Many people are starting or already have started their own vegetable gardens to enjoy produce grown by themselves.  For those who don't have a garden but still want to enjoy fresh and delicious vegetables, they sometimes find themselves in a quandry in deciding between organic vs. conventional at the local supermarket.  Both sides make valid arguments, personally it doesn't matter to me, just as long as it is fresh.  I can tell a difference in how I feel personally when I eat whole foods as opposed to processed.  I feel better, have much more energy and seem to not have too many aches and pains.

Sometimes though, we don't get enough of the necessary vitamins and minerals.  For that, there are supplements that are available.  Here at Heritage Pharmacy, we carry a wide selection of supplements ranging from the various B vitamins to Omega-3's, glucosamine, zinc, etc.  and if we don't have specifically what you are looking for, we will do our absolute best to have it in for you on the next business day if possible. Plus, Heritage Pharmacy has a wealth of information in the form of Dennis Satchell.  He is able to answer almost any questions regarding supplements and how they may interact with any prescription medication you may be taking at the time.

On some occasions, customers will ask the difference between name brand and generic drugs , thinking that one might be better for them than the other.  The answer that we provide is that all brand drugs have a generic name, but a generic option may not be available at this time due to patent rights or just decisions made by the manufacturer.  As far as whether one is better than the other, the generic drug has the exact same ingredients as the brand name and it is up to you as to which option you prefer.  More often than not, the generic version is less expensive than the brand name, but the final decision is ultimately up to you.  Depending on your body chemistry, you may metabolize certain brands or types differently than others, which is one reason why it is important to have a knowledgable pharmacist and physician who you are comfortable dealing with for advice on your medication.

On another note, May 6-12 is National Nurses Week.  If you are a nurse, thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou for all that you do.  If you aren't, thank the nurse you know.  Speaking from experience with the ones we have around here, they are all dedicated, hard working people who want to make sure that you get the best care possible.  Once again nurses, THANK YOU!!

Finally, the U6 Little Ponies (aka Little Pills) sponsored by Heritage Pharmacy finished another successful season.  They ran into last year's championship team in the quarterfinals of the tournament and put up a valliant effort against a very good team.  All of the kids did a great job this year and the coaching staff of Brian Gilles and Stephen Osterholt did a superb job of not only teaching the kids the game of soccer, but also making it fun for them as well. 

So now it is time to bid adieu, and thank you dear reader, for reading our latest entry to the internet. We hope that you find these tidbits informative and somewhat enjoyable.  If you have any questions at all, please do not ever hesitate to give us a call at (405) 375-6300 or shoot us a message on Facebook or email at heritagepharmacy@pldi.net  We also would like to thank you for your support in our effort to provide quality service from people you know and ask that if you have any friends or family that have not paid a visit to us here at the "pharm", to let them know that our doors are always open from 7:30 am- 9:30 pm Monday-Saturday and from 9-6 on Sunday.

Thanks again and we hope to see you again soon.