By Drew Winkelmaier, Reporter at the News-Review in Roseburg, OR
Originally Published April 23, 2024 in The News Review
Myrtle Drugs is under new ownership. Pharmacist Tyler Dearing has high hopes for the future of pharmacies in Southern Oregon and goals to help patients get the medications they need in a time where local pharmacies are struggling to stay afloat.
“My partner, Jeff Harrell, and I bought Myrtle Drugs, and we are in the process of buying more pharmacies in Southern Oregon,” Dearing said. Harrell is the CEO of Cascadia Pharmacy Group.
Dearing, 32, said having interned for pharmacies in Klamath Falls and graduating from Oregon State University and Oregon Health Sciences University with a doctorate in pharmacy, he understands the difficulties of local pharmacies in rural areas.
“Coming out of school I always thought about how cool it would be to run my own pharmacy and have my own independent pharmacy, but I never thought I would leave my hometown of Klamath Falls,” Dearing said. “I see these pharmacists and these pharmacies working for big chains and they can only do so much for their patients.”
Owning an independent pharmacy like Myrtle Drugs will allow him to be flexible with patients, Dearing said. Dearing said he can work with patients about pricing affordability, flexibility with scheduling refills and whatever is needed to get people the prescriptions they need.
“In his last role, he proved that he likes to push the status quo on patient care and has progressive views about providing health care at the pharmacy level, ensuring critical access care in a rural area,” said Cascadia Pharmacy Group Marketing Director Julie Matthiessen in an email. “He was instrumental in establishing advanced clinical programs such as Hepatitis C treatment, tobacco cessation, among others. The community of Myrtle Creek will love him.”
Oregon pharmacies are finding it increasingly difficult to keep their doors open. In a March 7 article in The News-Review, Rep. Christine Goodwin, R-Canyonville, said only 90 independent pharmacies remain in Oregon.
“In today’s current rocky environment (drug pricing, reimbursements, pharmacy benefit managers), it’s very difficult to run an independently-owned pharmacy if you’re going it alone, especially in rural areas – the communities that need these pharmacies the most,” Matthiessen said in an email. “Cascadia Pharmacy Group members share wisdom, resources, buying power, and best practices so that we can offer our communities the highest caliber of service. We also pride ourselves on collaborating with coordinated care organizations (CCOs) to enhance the network of health care providers serving these communities.”
Dearing is not fazed by the current situation local pharmacies find themselves in. Rather, he is hopeful he can be a part of the solution alongside Cascadia Pharmacy Group. Dearing said that by partnering with local healthcare providers, they can begin to find solutions.
According to Dearing, these partnerships allow for more voices to be heard from independent pharmacies like Myrtle Drugs.
“We have a bigger voice when we can all collaborate together. We have better buying power, we have negotiating power,” Dearing said. “But ultimately it’s going to come down to Congress passing bills that put restrictions on (pharmacy benefit managers) which helps pharmacies and helps patients.”
Dearing said no changes will be coming to the original staff at Myrtle Drugs and he is even looking to hire on an additional pharmacist soon.
“I support my staff 100%,” Dearing said. “They know people that I don’t, they have connections to people that I don’t. I can’t do it without them. We are growing, we are busy, we are able to help and support our patients.”
Dearing and his partner acquired Myrtle Drugs on March 24.
“Tyler is going to be a fantastic addition to our team. He is a perfect fit and exactly what we look for in our partners,” Matthiessen said in an email. “We are already collaborating well with him, and are excited to see his influence, ideas, and enthusiasm expand throughout southern Oregon.”
Matthiessen said Cascadia Pharmacy Group has long-term plans of acquiring more pharmacies in Southern Oregon. The group’s mission is to become a knowledgeable and trusted organization of pharmacy care providers in the communities it serves.
“This part of the state, like many communities across the country, is being impacted by the closure of community pharmacies. We are hoping to turn that around and expand our reach in southern Oregon to provide care to anyone who needs it,” Matthiessen said in an email.