The Journey to Becoming IPC’s Most Valuable Pharmacy
You’ve been in the pharmacy business for years, you’re a committed IPC member, and you know you have what it takes to win the Most Valuable Pharmacy Award. Fantastic! But how do you stand out among your peers and rise to the top? To inspire your journey, let’s dive into the story of Chocky White, owner of Medical Arts Pharmacy in Henderson, North Carolina, and the 2024 MVP winner. Discover how his dedication, innovation, and community service earned him this honorable award.
What is the Dan Moudry MVP Award?
The Dan Moudry MVP Award, named after former IPC board member Dan Moudry, celebrates pharmacists who exemplify excellence and community service. Dan Moudry, a community pharmacist from St. Paul, Minnesota, owned Moudry Rx Compounding and was committed to helping other pharmacists succeed. He was known for incorporating innovation into his business and fostering a spirit of collaboration within the pharmacy community. The MVP Award was established to recognize pharmacists who embody the same values of dedication, innovation, and community involvement.
It is with great pleasure that we congratulate Medical Arts Pharmacy as the winner of the Dan Moudry MVP Award at the IPC Annual Meeting in New Orleans during the 2024 McKesson ideaShare.
Chocky White’s Journey: From Humble Beginnings to Exemplary Leadership
Chocky White graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1969. In 1971, he opened Medical Arts Pharmacy, starting as the sole pharmacist and employee. Reflecting on his early days, Chocky recalls, “It has been slow growth, but I’ve been at it a long time and it has been a fun opportunity for me. I started this store in 1971, just down the street from the hospital, in a 600-square-foot space in the Vance Medical Arts Building. That was all I could afford to rent at the time. My dad and I made some homemade fixtures, and we opened the business. On the first day, I filled nine prescriptions. I’ll never forget.”
Over the years, Medical Arts Pharmacy expanded significantly to meet the needs of its growing customer base. Exceptional customer service has always been the cornerstone of the pharmacy, setting it apart from larger chain stores. Vice President Cara White Kirby shares, “My dad has always emphasized the importance of excellent customer service. He always said, ‘Provide great service, and customers will return.’ We are committed to exceeding patient expectations and fostering their loyalty.”
As a family-run business, Chocky’s sons and daughter contribute in various roles, including finance, DME, and customer service, to provide continuity to Chocky’s dedication to their patients and delivery of excellent healthcare to the community.
When a team from IPC visited Chocky and his team at his store his leadership qualities were on full display. Chocky has empowered his staff to listen to their patients and deliver high quality and personalized solutions.
Chocky and his team’s commitment to innovation and community service has been a driving force behind their success. “We have done things that I never envisioned when I started 50-some years ago. We initially believed that the more prescriptions we filled, the more profitable we’d be. But now, that’s not always the case. You must find other ways to add value. Immunizations and other services we’re offering are contributing to our bottom line without being offset by DIR fees. We are always looking for new ways to expand pharmacy,” says Chocky.
Medical Arts Pharmacy continuously seeks ways to serve their community’s healthcare needs. They have embraced medication synchronization and invested in advanced technology, operating two Parata Max’s and a Parata Pass, to enhance efficiency, control costs, and deliver compliance packaging. They offer a full-line DME business, a mastectomy boutique, and are developing collaborative care arrangements with local physicians for remote patient monitoring.
Chocky shares, “Most recently, we started with remote patient monitoring for patients, and that service has grown significantly. Although we’ve only been implementing it for about a month, our focus over the last five years has expanded to include a wide range of immunizations, such as COVID-19 and shingles, along with other injections we administer. We are constantly seeking new niches to grow our business beyond just filling prescriptions.”
This dedication to innovation and community service was recognized when they had the incredible opportunity and distinct honor to host Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at their store. As he toured their pharmacy in November 2023, he stated, “When you walk in a place like this, you feel like a million bucks.”
As a beta store for IPC Digital Health and iCare+, they exemplify a growth mindset by exploring new opportunities. Cara emphasizes, “We’re able to reach a different set of patients who may not have insurance or be able to get to their doctor’s office through iCare+.”
As you strive to achieve your goals to make a difference in your community, remember the lessons from Chocky’s journey. Embrace change, seek new opportunities, and always put your patients first. The path to becoming an MVP may be challenging, but the rewards are immeasurable. Here’s to your success and the positive impact you will make in the world of pharmacy.
