Clemmons Pharmacist Bucks the Big Box Trend

July 19, 2011 - PRLog -- WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. –David Schomberg, Jr., RPh, MBA, wants to change the pharmacy trend of big box stores and drive-thru chain pharmacies ubiquitous in today’s cities and suburbs. His philosophy? Medicine is personal. His solution? Schomberg is opened Tanglewood Pharmacy,  the first independent pharmacy in Clemmons on July 18.

“Tanglewood Pharmacy will focus on personalized medicine and personalized care,” says Schomberg. “For years, the movement in community pharmacy has been more of a ‘fast-food’ mentality — bigger stores, more locations, drive-thru windows, etc. The practice moved away from personalized care, customer service and quality pharmaceutical care. However, today’s patients are more discerning — they are aware of their health care choices and interested in understanding their medications. That is where the independent pharmacy comes in and fills an important need in medicine today.”

Independent pharmacies such as Tanglewood Pharmacy can really focus on medication therapy management (MTM), a service in which pharmacists proactively help patients get the best benefits from their medications by actively managing drug therapy and by identifying, preventing and resolving medication-related problems. “We help patients really understand what they are taking and why,” Schomberg says. “We really know our customers and act as a physician liaison if the customer has questions.”

Schomberg, who also owns Yadkin Valley Pharmacy, has been providing the benefit of MTM services for his customers there since he opened in 2005.  “We had a Medicare Part D patient who had hit the “doughnut hole” and was having to pay for a prescription to decrease stomach acid,” Schomberg says. “By speaking with the physician, we were able to switch the patient to an over-the-counter medication with similar efficacy and save him more than $100 per month. This is the kind of service we provide on a daily basis.”

Additional benefits of using Tanglewood Pharmacy include:

•   Curb service. “Pull up and flash your headlights or call us on your mobile, and we’ll come right out and help you,” Schomberg says.
•   Free delivery for anyone located within a 5-mile radius.
•   Appointments for Medication Management. “We will sit down with you and explain all your medications,” Schomberg says, “and we will work with your physician to make sure you are on the medication regimen for your problems.” The MTM service is free for patients over 65.

In addition to Tanglewood Pharmacy and Yadkin Valley Pharmacy, Schomberg also owns Yadkin Valley Assisted Care Pharmacy, a long-term care pharmacy that services group homes and assisted living facilities in the Piedmont. A long-time resident of Clemmons who is involved in the community with his wife and two young sons, the 1993 graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill’s pharmacy school worked for several large chain pharmacies such as Wal-Mart and CVS and also obtained an MBA in 2000 from UNC-Greensboro. “After years of working in corporate chain pharmacies, I decided I wanted to offer an alternative pharmacy experience — one with optimal customer service,” he says. “Independent pharmacies can provide medications at a similar cost as the corporate chains with a higher quality pharmacy experience overall.”

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About Tanglewood Pharmacy
Tanglewood Pharmacy opened July 18 at 4172 Clemmons Road in the Tanglewood Commons Shopping Center. The store will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. For more information, visit www.tanglewoodrx.com.

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