Author: Katie Hostetler, PharmD Candidate, Oregon State University
Imagine waiting endlessly at the pharmacy for a prescription, feeling like just another number in the system, and frustrated when the life-saving medication your son needs isn’t ready. This feeling wasn’t uncommon for Micheal Chappell, a loving dad and tireless advocate for his son, Daniel. Thankfully, he found a different option. He found a pharmacy that truly prioritized Daniel’s well-being, cared about his health and helped Micheal feel seen and understood.
The healthcare system today is difficult to navigate and requires patients to advocate for themselves. As you can imagine, this becomes increasingly difficult when your health conditions are complex and you require multiple specialists. It’s frustrating, it can be lonely, and you need to have people in your corner!
While Micheal continues to advocate for Daniel in many arenas, he is no longer alone on his journey to ensuring Daniel has the medication and pharmaceutical support he needs. With the support of Koru Pharmacy, a local independent compounding pharmacy, and their team, they both get the care, support and attention they deserve.
Daniel & Micheal
Daniel is an amazing young man and his dad Micheal is his biggest advocate; he has been since the day they met. They share a remarkable story of resilience and the transformative power of a strong support system.
When Micheal became Daniel’s father at just two years old, a deep bond began to form that would only strengthen over time. Together, they faced the challenges of Daniel’s rare genetic condition, which requires constant care and daily medications. To learn more about Daniel and Micheal’s story, read this article: Born Disabled, Spokane Boy Thrives with Love and Help from His Guardian, His Community
For about 13 years, prior to finding Koru, Micheal faced numerous challenges in sourcing the medications Daniel needed. He was bounced between multiple pharmacies to try to obtain what he needed. Fill dates were all over the place which led to more than 6 trips to various pharmacies per week all while trying to manage, work, school, appointments and everything else a parent faces.
“It’s exhausting, especially as a single parent. I always thought there has to be a better way to make this more convenient for mine and Daniel’s lives.” Beyond the time that this took, there is an exorbitant amount of stress when trying to secure important medications to avoid additional complications, set-backs and hospitalizations.
With many chain pharmacies or mail order, Micheal states, “It’s incredibly hard to get ahold of anyone, whether it’s to refill prescriptions or just to speak with someone.” Micheal and Daniel’s experience highlights the significant challenges many families face in accessing timely and reliable healthcare.
The Advocate We All Deserve
“For us, it’s personal, we don’t treat people like a number,” states Erik, the owner and pharmacist in charge of Koru Pharmacy. He emphasizes the commitment and personalized care their pharmacy consistently offers to patients, with a primary focus on ensuring that customers have everything they need.
Erik discusses the importance of truly listening to the patient to put them first and provide the best treatment possible. “We are a compounding pharmacy, so everything we make for patients is from scratch. We can customize anything. Let’s say someone gets a prescription for a tablet but they can’t take tablets because they have trouble swallowing, or are non-verbal, and getting down their medication is a challenge. We can make this same medication into a suspension they can drink or take via a feeding tube if needed.”
Erik delves into why working for an independent pharmacy is so rewarding, and how his constant goal is to make sure his patients feel seen and heard while always having the support they need. “If they need an extra syringe to administer the medication, or a modification to something, we give them whatever they need. We would not want to create more barriers for our patients to get the care they need.”
For the past 10 years, Micheal has trusted Koru Pharmacy to provide Daniel with the medications he needs. When asked why he prefers Koru over other pharmacies, Micheal shared a story that highlights the pharmacy’s dedication to personalized care.
“Due to Daniel’s medical condition, he has to fast two days a week, avoiding food and liquids with protein or sugars to protect his declining kidney function.” Micheal set to work reviewing everything to comply with the latest dietary changes.
Despite his best efforts, the intervention wasn’t having the anticipated results, leaving him and his doctors puzzled. Micheal hadn’t realized the compounded medication they were using contained sugar, and other healthcare providers had overlooked this detail, as well.
But the Koru Pharmacy team took the concern seriously, researched alternative formulations quickly, and developed a custom, sugar-free formula for Daniel’s medication that would support his overall health plan. Lo and behold, the plan started to elicit the expected results!
This level of care and attention is why Koru Pharmacy has been a trusted partner in managing Daniel’s health for so many years! “This made it possible for Daniel to take his medication daily without breaking his fast, all while protecting his kidney function, which is life changing for him,” Micheal said.
“Daniel’s story is unique, and it is the story of what we do at Koru Pharmacy every single day. It’s about having that relationship with the patient and their doctor to create the best possible product that ensures optimal health outcomes,” Erik stated.
Location, Service & Trust
Convenience and personalized service are key factors why many patients choose this independent pharmacy. “Koru is perfectly located in town, so I never have to go out of my way to get there.”
Micheal went on to share that they have also coordinated with Daniel’s insurance to ensure all his medications are consistently prepared, billed and ready for pickup at the right time to minimize the burden of extra trips to the pharmacy on his already full plate.
Further, there’s a specific employee at Koru who handles all of Daniel’s needs, ensuring that whenever he calls, there’s always someone familiar with his case and the details of Daniel’s treatment.
“Seeing patients have good outcomes, and get the results and the care they need instead of settling, are my favorite parts about working at an independent pharmacy,” explains Erik.
This consistent, personalized support has made all the difference for Micheal and his family. Recently, the team member managing Daniel’s care identified that some antibiotic eye drops could be obtained quicker from a sister location, Sixth Avenue Pharmacy, and called Micheal right away to coordinate. “It’s comforting to know that there’s always someone who knows exactly what’s going on with Daniel and can help right away.”
Summary
In a world where personalized care is often overshadowed by convenience and speed, Koru Pharmacy stands out as a beacon of hope for families like Micheal and Daniel, proving that a pharmacy can be more than medicine. It can be a true partner in health and advocacy – offering compassion, expertise and unwavering support when it’s needed most.