We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new pharmacy, so we wanted to take a moment to introduce you to our new pharmacist, Patrick Durham. Patrick brings a wealth of knowledge and a depth of experience that we are so excited to share with Cempa clients and the Chattanooga community as a whole. So, without further ado…

Q: Tell us a little about your professional background.

A: During pharmacy school I worked for an independent pharmacy for several years, and I feel like independents go above and beyond to offer a higher level of service than what the chains do. After working for a chain for 12 years, I’m excited to get back to the more personal feeling of community pharmacy.

Q: What brought you to Cempa? 

A: I have been aware of Cempa for many years now, seeing their work throughout the community. The pharmacy I worked for previously was an HIV specialty location and I dealt with Cempa on a regular basis. Seeing the level of care they provide on the outside is impressive, really going above and beyond for their patients. So when I found out they were hoping to open their own pharmacy, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of that.

Q: Can you tell us a bit about what the journey to bring the pharmacy to life has looked like so far?

A: This is the first time I’ve participated in a project that was literally from the ground up.  We started by selecting the location of the pharmacy, then worked with a contractor to install the counters/shelving, and then on to choosing a pharmacy management software system. You obviously can’t just order drugs and start selling prescriptions. There have been a lot of moving parts, but it’s very satisfying to see it all come together.

Q: What are you most excited about in your new role?

A: For most of the patients here, their prescriptions are sent to a mail order pharmacy and then delivered to them. They may have talked to a pharmacist on the phone but they’ve never met in person. So I’m really excited about developing a relationship with all the new patients here. It’s really rewarding to help a patient have a better outcome, and I’m confident our new pharmacy will enable Cempa to continue building on those positive outcomes.

Q: If there was one thing you would want someone to know about what you’re working to accomplish with the pharmacy, what would that be?

A: Efficiency. I’m hoping to bridge the gap between the patients and their doctors. By bringing everything under one roof, we are going to be able to offer a much higher level of service.

Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?

A: Traveling! I love going to new places, eating different food, and seeing new people. I’m hoping that I’ll be able to catch up on travel again once COVID is fully in the rearview mirror.