Adjoining the Thorold Medical Clinic, it’s a space they know well, as both women—now pharmacists—visited their parents there throughout their youth.
“I remember bringing him supper, and spent long hours visiting” said Alexandra Tatzel, daughter of Dr. Timothy Tatzel, whose “whole career” has been stationed at the Albert Street West clinic.
She recently asked him, “Dad, did you ever think I would be moving my business into the Thorold Clinic?”
She added, “He likes having us here.”
And Christina’s mother, Mary Ciancio, was a long-time nurse at the clinic.
Located at 60 Albert Street West, the newly renovated pharmacy space has two entrances/exits—one on Albert Street and one on Whyte Avenue.
In addition to both seeing life through a scientific lens, the two friends and co-owners followed similar career paths.
Ciancio grew up in Thorold and graduated from Thorold Secondary School, received her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Brock University, then her pharmacy degree from the University of Toronto.
In 2008, she returned to Thorold, and her job at Henderson’s Pharmasave, where she’d launched her career—first, as a cashier—while still in high school.
Likewise, Tatzel completed her undergraduate degree in Health Sciences at Brock and graduated with her pharmacy degree from U of T, in 2013.
“We were very lucky to have had John (Henderson) as a mentor,” she said.
Both pharmacists are also mothers; Tatzel has a 16-month-old son, Nolan; and Ciancio has two children, Matthew and Caitlin.
“We looked at other locations,” said Ciancio, “but this one fit our vision for what we wanted our business to be. I really like the design, because you don’t feel disconnected from the people coming into the pharmacy,” she said, since the entire store is intimate, and on one level.
“It’s in the middle of a community,” said Tatzel. “We felt like it was a good fit for accessibility and it’s on the ground level, and has parking. That’s why we went into pharmacy. We’re the most accessible profession. There are not many places you can get the professional on the phone. That’s why we like working in a small community, because you really do get to be part of the health care team. ”
Each pharmacist has her own counseling room for private patient consultation, where they can discuss health concerns, review medications, give flu shots, or help with insulin injection, smoking cessation, or other programs offered.
“Patient confidentiality is so important to us,” said Tatzel. “We try and develop personal relationships with everyone. We want to be a part of people’s health care team; communicating with their physicians. We really try and follow up with them, for instance, if we know they have started an antibiotic, we want to make sure they’re okay.”
Ciancio said patients may find medication directions overwhelming at first, and forget the proper instructions when they get home, so follow-up phone calls can be helpful. “If you call them, they feel more open to talking,” whereas in person, they may be reluctant to admit they need clarification.
“We really wanted to have a patient-centered practice. That was our biggest priority.”
Blister packaging is offered for people who require multiple medications, and free prescription delivery is available—courtesy of Ciancio’s father, Jim—six days a week.
While the women admit there are many long work days ahead in their future, “Coming into work is enjoyable,” stated Tatzel. “You see you make a difference in people’s lives. You get a phone call and they are so grateful, and it’s so rewarding. It’s a good point in our lives. We’re young enough, and we’re a fully independent pharmacy. It gives us the autonomy to do what we want. At the same time, you have to take a leap of faith, and I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.”
“We’re fortunate to have each other,” agreed Ciancio. “We’re very like-minded in our philosophy.”
Rounding out their staff is Todd Kreulen, who specializes in home health care needs, such as compression stockings; and has 13 years experience as a pharmacy assistant.
“He also has small kids, so we all understand each other’s home lives, and we have worked together a number of years.”
According to Tatzel, “We’re part of a group called ‘Whole Health Pharmacy Partners,’ and they are really pharmacist-centered and supportive of the way a pharmacy is going. It’s a huge shift from just standing behind the counter, to interacting with everyone. We don’t have targets and quotas. It gives us access to generic as well as name brand drugs.”
The Thorold Medical Pharmacy is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
A grand opening will be held April 27.
For more information, call 905-227-6881, or visit www.thoroldmedicalpharmacy.ca
