Our mission at Heartland Pharmacy is to deliver solution-driven services ensuring a personal, consistent, and reliable experience for all. And we have always been dedicated to making a difference in the lives of individuals and families that we serve. No one could have predicted in 2020 that we would be faced with a pandemic that has transformed the way those individuals and families live. And, we had no idea that the healthcare sector would be turned on its head. Although the situation has presented unprecedented challenges, Heartland Pharmacy has chosen to stay true to that mission and continue providing solution-driven services without any interruption. We have even taken it as an opportunity to improve and become even more of a resource to our partners and communities.
We sat down with Chief Experience Officer Cory Meyer to discuss how we were able to do that. We discussed some of Heartland Pharmacy’s priorities, accommodations for our communities, and COVID-19 measures taken throughout the year. Here are Cory’s answers to our questions.
Q: What have been your priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic?
A: Resident safety, internal and external staff safety are always a priority, but we have a heightened sense of that now. And regardless of a pandemic, we are constantly striving toward the highest quality service levels out there.
Q: Have you been able to accommodate requests that helped communities who were under additional strains?
A: Yes, we were able to maintain constant supplies of PPE, especially considering shortages were occurring nationally. It became obvious very quickly that PPE supplies were going to be an important service that we could offer, and we made it a priority to let our communities know about it and have access to our supply. But we knew there was more to it than just PPE, and thankfully, we were prepared. We initially offered PPE items at our cost to all of our communities and still continue to help if requested.
Q: Based on your experience with the current COVID-19 virus, what steps are you planning to take, as you move forward, to ensure that you are prepared in the future?
A: Like so many, we were unaware COVID was going to have such a horrific impact, but we were prepared in advance. Heartland was able to jump right into our critical response plan. This allowed us to continue with our current services, implementing pre-determined protocols that allowed us to ensure resident safety.
As we look to the future, it is important for us to maintain elite protocols and service levels. We know it’s crucial to be vigilant about care.
Q: What are you doing to extend continuing support for our communities during the pandemic?
A: We are doing a lot of things, and we are constantly seeking to better understand their changing needs. But a few of the absolutes are:
- Keeping our staff on a strict COVID-19 protocol so we are in a position to continue providing the best solution-driven service
- Exploring positive elements that have a cost savings for residents and continuing to offer those elements. We do this as a part of our dedication to making a difference in their lives.
We also understand that it is important to continually receive feedback from our communities, in a transparent, honest format. So, we are currently using a third-party company to survey our communities to identify their needs. This will allow us to pivot on their behalf if need be.
With vaccines and medications on the horizon, targeted to eliminate or lessen the impact of COVID-19 on our communities, residents, and families, we have hope for the future. Until then, we will continue to be alert to the needs of those around us. We will be adaptive, progressive, and most importantly, caring to ensure the best possible outcomes for everyone we serve.
