There are few venues where you can pick up extra groceries, browse your favourite makeup products, and get a quick (less than 10 minutes!) lipid or A1C health test done. But Shoppers Drug Mart in Headon Plaza is one of those places.
“We have a recently renovated cosmetic boutique with quite a large offering of brands. We also carry fresh food like produce and sandwiches. It’s very convenient for families that just want to go to their neighbourhood corner and grab what they need,” says Fabio De Rango, pharmacist and owner of Shoppers Drug Mart - Headon Plaza.
This Shoppers location was one of the first two in Ontario to open the newly designed pharmacy care clinics. Patients who visit the clinic can access the usual range of healthcare services from the pharmacists, such as treatment for UTIs, eye infections, allergies, tick bites, and more; but the new design of the clinic also features redesigned counselling rooms and a care concierge to greet people and check them in.
“When we first opened after our renovation, we had a patient say that it feels more like a hotel than it does a pharmacy, which is kind of nice,” says Fabio.
The clinic offers quick blood tests that are completed in 5-10 minutes with the prick of a finger, to check patients’ cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Heart health assessments, an important preventative health measure, can also be done while you wait for prescriptions to be filled or in between shopping for beauty essentials. Pharmacists take information from patients like weight, height, lifestyle and more, and then use that data to calculate the patient’s risk of a heart attack in the next 10 years.
“We calculate your heart age, which can be higher than your actual age. I can then show you that if a patient starts to exercise or eat better, or take cholesterol medication, that can decrease your heart age,” says Fabio.
In three months, Fabio’s pharmacy completed 900 heart health assessments for their patients. 4% of the assessed patients turned out to have undiagnosed diabetes. The pharmacists caught the signs and were then able to refer the patients to their doctors, where they received confirmed diagnoses and started on medications.
“This is unique because we’re catching people before an illness has crept up. We’re helping with prevention as opposed to a reaction.”
Fabio says his pharmacy’s goal is to provide more healthcare access for patients, so that they can avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room. Ideally, if patients can receive the care they need from a pharmacist, it will help alleviate some of the pressures on our healthcare system. The store’s hours also offer convenience; it’s open until midnight every day of the week. Patients are also receiving care from a pharmacist who they may already be familiar with, which might not be the case with doctors at a walk-in clinic.
“I think a pharmacist is part of a patient’s journey. There are times when we’re a bit more convenient. You don’t have to have an appointment, we’re located inside the neighbourhood store, and there’s ample parking. If you don’t need to see a doctor at that point, you can see a pharmacist,” says Fabio.
The pharmacists on staff value being part of the Burlington community and knowing their patients. The relationship with a neighbourhood Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacist can be of huge importance to a community.
The store is also known for hosting a large event every year as part of the national Shoppers Drug Mart Run for Women fundraiser. The event is a 5K or 10K (or 1K for little ones) walk/run in support of mental health programs in 18 communities across Canada. There is a barbecue held in Broadview Park, as well as a petting zoo, bouncy castles, and music. The fundraiser is taking place on May 25th this year, with a $150,000 fundraising goal for this event.
Fabio looks forward to seeing everyone out at the fundraiser, including Shoppers customers and pharmacy patients. “What I really like about this store is that it’s located inside a neighbourhood. It’s a true neighbourhood store. To have these true life-changing moments with your neighbours, where you’re helping them live better lives. It’s so rewarding for me and my team.”
Find Shoppers Drug Mart in Headon Plaza online here.
This article was sponsored by Shoppers Drug Mart - Headon Plaza, a 2023 BurlingtonToday Reader Favourite.
