Independent Pharmacy Wants to Be a “One-Stop Shop for Our Patients”

Kimberly Jones, RPh, is the pharmacy manager of Austin Pharmacy & Medical Supplies, located in Cockeysville, Maryland, about 25 minutes north of Baltimore. “During pharmacy school, my internship was at an independent pharmacy in my hometown, and I realized I preferred that atmosphere,” Jones said. “I value the opportunity to truly get to know my patients, understand their stories, and connect with their families. Working for an independent company provides the time and flexibility to cultivate these relationships with both patients and health care providers.”

The Austin Pharmacy traces its roots to 1940.

Initially, Jones started working on a part-time basis at Austin Pharmacy. “As luck would have it,” she said, “a pharmacist position opened up, and they needed someone to fill in. I started as a part-time pharmacist and became full-time within a year. I became the manager in 2019. As they say, the rest is history.

Austin Pharmacy was originally started by Charles Austin in Towson, Maryland—a suburb of Baltimore—in 1940. It was originally a classic neighborhood drugstore, complete with a soda fountain. The current owners are Donna and John Wolk. Wolk bought the business in 1989, and by that time, it had been remodeled and looked more like pharmacies seen today. In 2012, they opened a larger second location in Cockeysville, and in addition to the pharmacy, they also carried medical supplies and equipment. In 2021, after COVID-19, the Wolks closed the original Towson location and moved all the pharmacy customers to Cockeysville. With most customers receiving deliveries to their homes, the transition was easy.

“At our store, we do a bit of everything. On the medical supply side, we have certified specialists who can help with diabetic, compression, and orthopedic fitting needs. We also have a licensed DPT [doctor of physical therapy], WOCN [wound, ostomy, and continence nurse], and ATP [assistive technology professional] on staff,” Jones said.

The pharmacy is located near 2 major East Coast fertility centers, Shady Grove and Johns Hopkins. Having gone through fertility treatments, Jones feels very empathetic toward these patients. Austin Pharmacy stocks various fertility medications for intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization (IVF) and works with manufacturers to get discounts. The pharmacists—Jones, along with Robyn Sabo, RPh—take the time to show patients how to administer injections. Patients have shared that they especially appreciate this service because fertility treatments are often time sensitive.

“There have been several times where I have stayed after closing to wait for a patient who needed to pick up medicine to take their shot that evening, or for someone who was traveling a distance and was delayed because of traffic,” Jones said. “I understand the range of emotions people have when going through this fertility journey, and I like to try and make the process a little smoother for them. I often share my own experience with patients that I had undergone IVF treatment and gave birth to 2 sons. I offer encouragement to keep going when it gets hard and think positive. So many women appreciate that small personal connection.”

To read these stories and more, download the PDF of the Drug Topics July/August issue here.

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