Pharmacist Michelle Gray got her first taste of a retail pharmacy when she worked as the pharmacy manager at the Cranbrook Zellers. In 2002 she was hired at the local independent Kimberley Medicine Centre to build their Compounding services; it was there that she developed many specialized skills and learned to think outside the box. Medicine Centre changed names a few times (Pharmasave, then Shoppers Drug Mart), and in 2013 Michelle and her husband Andy decided to go out on their own and open Gray’s Compounding Pharmacy. Michelle wanted to practice her specialty skills, and get back to the ‘personal touch’ that was missing in retail pharmacy.
“Compounding is the essence of Personalized Medicine. We’re able to make medication from scratch. If you need a dose that doesn’t exist we can make any dose imaginable — if you can’t swallow a pill we can make a suspension, cream, suppository or a lozenge,” Michelle says. “We also take care of your pets’ medications. We’re a member of PCCA, Professional Compounding Centres of America, which means we have access to the highest quality chemicals, consultants and education.”
When you take your compounded prescription to a non-compounding retail pharmacy, it has to be sent away. Doing this in-house means Gray’s Compounding Pharmacy can get clients their medications within a day or two instead of a week or two.
“The other advantage of going to the source is that we can counsel from a position of first-hand knowledge,” Gray says. We know what doses are appropriate and are an integral part of your health care team — we aren’t just filling an order.
Gray’s Compounding Pharmacy is one of the only local, independently owned and operated pharmacies in the Kootenays, and has developed a great reputation with doctors as far away as Creston and Fernie for providing full medication reviews and developing treatment plans for issues like chronic pain and hormones.
“We try to look at your whole health, with an approach that considers the various systems and how they affect one another and overlay that with a functional medicine approach. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes can bring new solutions. We collaborate with your healthcare provider, with you as the main focal point.”
Your Gray’s Compounding Pharmacy team
Peter Wu, Pharmacist
Peter has worked at Gray’s Compounding Pharmacy since graduating university, and continues to develop specialties to better serve local customers. He’s particularly interested in geriatric medicine — he’s not just filling prescriptions, he’s actively assessing what’s best for the health of his patients by analyzing lab work, performing high-level clinical reviews and pain consultations.
“He has a deep understanding of how our bodies age and how things like organ function can change. That can be useful when assessing medications that maybe shouldn’t be mixed together for older demographics, and working with your health care team to optimize your health plan.
Heidi Radcliffe & Kayla Morrison, Registered Pharmacy Technicians
“Heidi and Kayla are integral in so many aspects of our business,” Gray says. “We’ve sent them away for specific training in drug compounding, they perform risk assessments and ensure we’re always following the highest regulations of the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities.”
Corina Howorko & Felicia Green, Pharmacy Assistants
“Corina and Felicia are so efficient, and are able to quickly shift gears to take care of all pharmacy operations,” Gray says. “That has really freed up Peter and I to spend more time with clients. It’s changed the focus of Gray’s Pharmacy to a much more caring, in-depth, whole health service.”
Andy Gray, the fixer
“My husband Andy is trained in compounding and fills in everywhere — he does our administration, and handles deliveries to Cranbrook every Wednesday and Kimberley every Thursday,” Gray says. “He’s also a key part of our family’s team — if I’m tied up at the pharmacy, he’s co-ordinating taking care of our three kids, the dog and our exchange student at home!”
Find Gray’s Compounding Pharmacy at 417B-304 St. in Kimberley, open Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m or on Facebook at facebook.com/grayspharmacy. Questions? Call 250-427-0038 or email pharmacist@grayspharmacy.ca.
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