Ben Austin (Rx2011) and Chris Hartman (Rx2011) are seasoned pharmacists and graduates of the School of Pharmacy’s very first class. They’ve owned and run the Ingersoll Pharmasave for years along with Rob Parsons and Dom Ricciuto, building up a reputation as the go-to place for exceptional customer care and innovative patient services. Before COVID-19 struck, they offered all the usual fixings of a community pharmacy plus extras like travel health, opioid agonist therapy, medical cannabis consultations and a wide variety of injection services.
Chris Hartman and Sammy Shahatto, a fourth-year pharmacy student on rotations at the Ingersoll Pharmasave
The pandemic has tested Ben and Chris’ management skills and pushed them to adapt or temporarily postpone some of those services.
“Ingersoll’s a small community and we know our patients really well,” Ben says. “Many are seniors who work in or are retired from the auto or agricultural industry. As the pandemic ramped up, we saw an increased need for pharmacy services from the entire community.”
Throughout March, the pharmacy experienced a large upswing in customers purchasing supplies to gear up for isolation. As business closures swept across Ontario, Ben and Chris decided to implement several physical distancing policies and to invest in tools to help keep their team safe. They purchased additional personal protective equipment (PPE) and installed plexiglass barriers. To facilitate offering a curbside pick-up service, they purchased mobile debit and credit machines.
“The most challenging part was managing our large team,” Ben says. “We employ thirty people and decided to split the team into two shifts that wouldn’t have contact with each other. This ensures we’ll still be able to meet staffing levels if someone tests positive for COVID-19 on one of the teams.”
Melanie, a pharmacist, and Ben Austin in the pharmacy
This has led to challenges for scheduling and communication across the two shifts, but with Ben on one and Chris on the other, they’ve made use of technology and other best practices to ensure everyone is up to date.
The experience has really driven home the importance of having a full staff of generalists. We need each pharmacy assistant to be able to perform each task and our team has really risen to this occasion.
The changes have been hardest on patients, many of whom are in isolation alone or with few contacts. These are patients who previously relied on services Chris and Ben had to postpone, as well as those who simply liked to stop by and chat for a time. To continue to serve these patients, the team organized a centralized injection day.
“The goal was to get as many people back in for scheduled appointments so they can get injections we’d deferred,” Ben explains. “We did it on one day to minimize our use of PPE and we found this service was helpful not just for patients, but for our local physicians as well.”
Being an independent pharmacy has served the alumni well at this time.
“It’s helped that we’re small and nimble,” Chris says. “We’re able to make adjustments to our operations on the fly without regional approval and that’s given us a competitive edge against corporate pharmacies that must consult before making certain changes.”
Robin and Tammy, pharmacy assistants
Throughout the pandemic, Ben and Chris are making time to mentor School of Pharmacy students. They had one student, Joey Champigny, in March and April and have just welcomed another, Sammy Shahatto.
“Our PharmD students have hit the ground running — Joey was there when this all started and he stepped in and helped with the changes, allowing Chris and I to focus on the big picture,” Ben says. “It’s been a phenomenal learning experience for students and inspiring to how they’ve taken an active role in this pandemic. It’s preparing them to be leaders in the future.”