Bob Dominguez Achievement Award Nominee
By Mike Maltais
A pharmacy’s awareness of special needs and circumstances—one that truly knows its customers—is a valuable asset for the community. In the case of Sherman’s Apothecary Pharmacy in Salinas, California, this became apparent when the federal government failed to re-authorize funding from December 22, 2018, through Jan. 25, 2019, and furloughed approximately 350,000 employees for 35 days.
“Someone’s health should not be a victim during the [government] shutdown.”With a significant number of Fort Ord military personnel living near the pharmacy, owners Jeff and Mindy Sherman offered no-cost credit accounts to furloughed workers who were not required to pay for prescriptions until their paychecks were restored.
“Someone’s health should not be a victim during the shutdown,” the owners said. This strongly sets an independent pharmacy apart from a chain pharmacy’s ability to care for the unique needs of its community.
The Sherman’s are Salinas Valley residents who have been serving the Salinas-Monterey communities for more than 30 years. Both Jeff and Mindy are PharmD graduates of the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Jeff manages the business while Mindy’s focus is outreach services.
Mindy is an HRT specialist with a client base that spans three counties. She provides seminars and one-on-one consultations at the pharmacy, and also conducts a twice-weekly Coumadin clinic in the cardiology department at Natividad Hospital. “I work under cardiologist protocols which allow the pharmacist to monitor compliance and provide therapeutic outcomes for our patients,” Mindy says. She also provides educational rotations for medical students, residents, and pharmacist interns about the routine monitoring of patients on anticoagulation therapy.
The Sherman’s specialty products and services are tailored to help their patients.
Bio-identical hormone therapy: menopausal regimens for women and men experiencing the changes brought on through the aging process.
Custom compounding: specific medications and formulations that are not commercially available can be produced to fit the needs of their patients; and veterinary compounding is also performed.
Medication synchronization: a service provided for patients that coordinates all of their prescriptions into a single monthly pickup.
Immunization clinics: vaccines to prevent influenza, shingles, pneumonia, meningitis, whooping cough, and HPV are available.
Community outreach is a cornerstone in the Sherman’s Apothecary philosophy. Employees are encouraged to become involved with community programs such as high school athletic clubs, church festivals, and local rehab homes such as Door to Hope in Salinas.
Sherman’s Apothecary offers career-shadowing opportunities for local high school students, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacist interns. Pharmacist candidates from Creighton University in Nebraska, Toro University in California, and University of the Pacific in California have completed required educational hours at Sherman’s Apothecary.
