MAUMELLE, Ark. — Maumelle’s only neighborhood pharmacy closed its doors months ago, but a new pharmacy has been open for a week and plans to combat PBM’s.
Brandon and Kaley Achor opened the Achor Family Pharmacy one week ago, hoping to fill a void in their community.
"This is my hometown and so, when we saw the need for a community pharmacist, we thought who better than to take care of our hometown than ourselves?” Brandon Achor said.
They are now Maumelle’s only independently-owned pharmacy after Bradley’s Healthmart Pharmacy closed this year. They’re in the business to ease fears.
“Everyone that comes through our door is scared in one form or fashion or another, and it’s our job every day to make sure that they know they’re not alone going through any of that,” Achor said.
But, community pharmacists have fears of their own.
“PBM’s are a very real concern for us,” Achor said.
Bradley’s Healthmart Pharmacy in Maumelle said pharmacy benefit managers (PBM’s) are the reason they closed.
Achor said they’re opening at the right time because recently passed legislation began regulating PBM’s in the state.
“Fortunately, we have lawmakers in the state who see the need to protect community pharmacists and have done so. And those laws are just now peeking at being enforceable,” Achor said.
With the changes for PBM's, Achor's owners said their pharmacy has a fighting chance.
“It’s not a silver bullet, but it does give us at least a stick to swing back with,” Achor said.
They also plan to provide something different to keep foot traffic coming: a pharmacy that provides education and personalized medication through compounding.
“Our vision for pharmacy over the next ten years is going to be seeing patients in a more appointment-based manor, where they come in and they’re getting a full education of their disease states, of their insurance complications, of their medications to really be a one-stop-shop for all of their healthcare needs as they exit their primary care facilities,” Achor said.
There’s a family practice next door and staff there said they’re glad to still have an option within walking distance.
They've already gotten nearly 300 prescriptions since opening their doors.