Pharmacare Hawaii: Oahu, HI
Owners: Byron Yoshino, PharmD, President and Rick Sakurada RPh, Executive Vice President
Director of Community Pharmacy Services: Brandy Shima, PharmD
Marketing Manager: Marc Inouye
Pharmacare’s roots began to grow when it was founded in April 1927, known then as Yoshino Drug Store. Years later in September 1959, current President & CEO Byron Yoshino’s grandfather and father began opening Value Drug, Ltd. pharmacies on Oahu. Their first Value Drug store came one month after Hawaii became the 50th State in August 1959. The founders of Value Drug shared a vision to grow a family business, while meeting the pharmaceutical needs of their community.
In 1983, partners Byron Yoshino and Rick Sakurada continued Value Drug’s tradition and innovation by opening Pharmacare. They began pioneering new services for patients with introducing IV antibiotics, TPN services, and expanding home infusion services. From 1983 – 2010, Pharmacare experienced even more growth as they began the process of adding eight additional pharmacies, plus starting a long-term care pharmacy service.
This year Pharmacare will be entering their 90th year of service. Marketing Manager Marc Inouye and the team at Pharmacare have forward thinking plans to rebrand the business, as they know this will keep them competitive in the market place. “We have to adapt with the changes in health care, and rebranding will allow us to continue our reputation as a leader in pharmacy services in Hawaii,” Marc said.
Currently, the pharmacies offer services such as vaccinations, compliance packaging, mail order, and deliveries just to name a few. Pharmacare also offers a service called BedMed, which delivers discharge medications to a hospital patients bedside. This service can only exist and be successful if there’s a relationship between the hospital and retail pharmacy. They have a nurse liaison that meets with the patients and hospital staff, ensuring that patients are adherent after leaving the hospital. Another significant program they created is called HeartMed for heart failure patients. It entails working with groups of cardiologists and their teams to concentrate on patients with this serious heart condition. Pharmacare has a designated pharmacist and liaison dedicated to helping these patients stay adherent.
Pharmacare has also launched a mobile app and website that drives refills from those on-the-go. According to Marc, “the app and website extends the identity of Pharmacare and builds our name recognition.”
Hawaii can count on independent pharmacies like Pharmacare, who over the years has continually evolved, but remain committed to providing dependable, reliable, and quality care for their patients.
We are excited to welcome Pharmacare to WSPC and congratulate them on 90 years of service!
Pharmacare at Kapiolani Medical Center
From front to back: Gregory Hamamoto; Marisa Sanchez, pharmacy manager; Shawna Kimoto; Esther Ganal; and Lisa Mckeague
Yukumoto, Pharmacy Manager).
Pharmacare at Pali Momi Medical Center
From left to right: Kristen Antonio, Chelsea Colombini-Sanchez, Jamie Benito and Chris Nucum, pharmacy manager
Yukumoto, Pharmacy Manager).
Pharmacare at St. Francis Liliha
From left to right: Maxx Oishi, Luvine Paas, Sharlie Au, and Eva Gaboya; not pictured: Darci Yukumoto, pharmacy manager
Pharmacare at Tamura Super Market
From left to right: Dean Fujimoto, pharmacy manager; Kristan Alapai; Paula Ng; and Donna Munson Yukumoto, pharmacy manager.
Pharmacare at Queen’s POB West
From front to back: Nolan Hiraoka, pharmacy manager; Kristen Antonio; and Kyla Sagadraca
