As part of a national push to provide customized services to patients with certain diseases, Walgreens is transforming its downtown Indianapolis store into a specialized HIV/AIDS pharmacy.
The store, located at 1530 N. Meridian St., looks like a typical Walgreens to the casual observer. However, it is staffed with pharmacists trained in administering HIV/AIDS medications and navigating a complex system of care, including how to pay for drugs that can cost $3,000 a month.
These skills can be critical in helping HIV/AIDS patients stick to their drug regimens. "Compliance is extremely important for the disease," said Noelle Redmond, staff pharmacist since September. "If they miss just one dose a month, they risk having their HIV become resistant to that therapy."
Redmond's detailed knowledge of the medications is invaluable. Even selecting which cold medicines to take with HIV drugs can pose a challenge for many pharmacists. "If you don't specialize in it, it's very, very difficult for an everyday pharmacist to keep up accurately," she said. "The guidelines about what to do change every six months."
Redmond visits other pharmacists on a weekly basis to train them on HIV/AIDS prescriptions. She also assists patients from around the state and speaks to case managers and physicians. Nearly 8,000 Indianans are living with HIV/AIDS, according to the most recent figures from the state Department of Health.
In offering the new service, Walgreens joins BioScrip on Massachusetts Avenue, which opened as an HIV specialty store 11 years ago. BioScrip eventually grew into a full-service pharmacy, serving around 2,000 patients each month. All of its pharmacists have completed HIV specialty training, said manager and pharmacist Lisa Sandbo.
11/07/08
INDIANA: Downtown Walgreens to Focus on HIV/AIDS
Source: Indianapolis Star:: Shari Rudavsky; Courtesy of the CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention