Director of 340B Pharmacy Operations Sheila Lo (Photo by David A. Lee)
Prescriptions with a Side of Care
Onsite pharmacies at DAP Health are changing the game for patients.
Words by Victoria Pelletier (as seen in Issue 5 of DAP Health magazine)
At the intersection of great care and excellent value are DAP Health’s three affiliate pharmacies, two of which are located within DAP Health’s Stonewall Medical Center in Cathedral City and Coachella Valley Community Health Center in Coachella, and Borrego Pharmacy in Borrego Springs, a standalone. Alongside these, DAP Health Sunrise, the legacy practice in Palm Springs, partners with an on-campus Walgreens pharmacy to deliver exquisite service and affordability to its patients.
I recently sat down with Guanzhong (Sheila) Lo of Cathedral City, Laura Dunn of Walgreens, Elisabeth Marquez of Borrego Springs, and Manuel Idio of Coachella to learn more about the ways their pharmacy practices offer robust support to the communities they serve. These talented pharmacists bring 70 years of combined experience to their constituents, wisdom that is always coupled with deep understanding of patients’ stories and specific pharmaceutical needs.
Guanzhong (Sheila) Lo
DAP Health Director of 340B Pharmacy Operations Guanzhong (Sheila) Lo began her pharmacy career more than 20 years ago. Having had tenures at Walgreens and at a hospital system in Florida, she has practiced for nearly eight years at DAP Health Stonewall in Cathedral City, having opened that location and the Coachella unit.
While Lo lauds the pharmacies’ strong revenue performance and terrific financial value for customers, she believes one of greatest advantages of co-locating the clinics and pharmacies is how it affects the patient/clinician relationship and improves clinical outcomes. Unlike standalone pharmacies, DAP Health pharmacists can access the clinic’s patient files, ensuring that potential issues like missed appointments and drug interactions can be mitigated with early interventions.
As a federally qualified health center (FQHC) with access to the federal 340B program, DAP Health is able to purchase medications at a reduced price for its pharmacies. The organization then passes those discounts on to its patients, which helps it create more programs to benefit the community, such as the free STI testing and treatment it provides at its three sexual wellness clinics, in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, and Indio. At the end of the day, the DAP Health difference is responsive patient care. Lo relishes the opportunity to work for an organization that enhances the quality of life for so many.
Laura Dunn
Hailing from a family of nurses from Illinois, Laura Dunn brings 18 years of pharmacy experience to her leadership role at the Walgreens unit affiliated with DAP Health Sunrise. Dunn sees tremendous patient benefit in using a pharmacy that’s directly on campus. For starters, Dunn celebrates the strong relationship between the pharmacy staff and the clinicians at the nonprofit’s many adjoining clinics. For example, DAP Health nurse practitioners can quickly access PrEP injectables available at Walgreens, meaning patients can receive real-time treatment from clinicians.
Dunn also recognizes that the pharmacy’s accessibility allows her staff to get to know their Sunrise patients, pointing to the fact that they connect with them semiannually to review current medications and compliance with physician orders accompanying them. In addition, Dunn and one of her managers regularly participate in the morning huddles clinicians hold on behalf of their patients. Good relationships and workflow between the pharmacy and the clinic mean great health outcomes.
Lisa Marquez
With 10 years of progressive pharmacy experience in her toolbox, Lisa Marquez arrived at Borrego Pharmacy in September 2023, eager to collaborate with the retirees and immigrants that frequent it. With prior tenure in a large retail pharmacy, Marquez notes that one of the advantages of working with DAP Health is that pharmacists and pharmacy technicians really get to know patients and their medical histories.
Marquez also lauds the accessibility of DAP Health professionals. Calls are answered at the clinic by clinicians who partner with their colleagues at the pharmacy. Patient care is integrated between the pharmacy and the clinic, resulting in excellent communication and better patient outcomes.
Marquez sees DAP Health pharmacies as embodying a “hometown” pharmacy feel. Benefiting from the nonprofit’s status as a federally qualified health center, its pharmacies are especially adept at working with patients from underserved or at-risk populations. Of course, employees thrive in the DAP Health culture too, and Marquez relishes the opportunity to work for an organization that cares for its own. She notes that DAP Health promotes healthy work/life balance, and offers employees the tools and time to care for their body, mind, and family.
Manuel Idio
Manuel Idio started his pharmacological career in the Philippines prior to immigrating to the United States in 2001 as a naturalized citizen. After receiving a bachelor’s credential in pharmacy in 1991, Idio spent several years working as an inspector with Philippines Food and Drug Administration.
A certified HIV pharmacist who happens to be gay, Idio appreciates working for a DAP Health-owned pharmacy that understands the specific needs of LGBTQIA+ patients. Like his colleague Lo, Idio sees DAP Health’s 340B designation as a tangible financial benefit to patients, giving the pharmacy the bandwidth to make medicines affordable to patients on fixed incomes.
Of course, DAP Health is much more than a “good value” at a convenient location. Idio notes that the nonprofit’s pharmacies bring “love and kindness” into patients’ lives by prioritizing their stories and outcomes over sales.
At his branch in Coachella, “love and kindness” is often expressed in the patience shown to Spanish-speaking customers. While efforting to bring a permanent Spanish-speaking pharmacist to his location, Idio and his colleagues take ample time with Spanish-speaking patients to ensure they understand the ins and outs of the medicines that have been prescribed for them. In the meantime, Idio is learning as much Spanish as his time permits.
The DAP Health Difference
My takeaways from conversations with four outstanding pharmacists? DAP Health’s affiliate pharmacies bring convenience and value to patients. With 340B and FQHC designations, DAP Health affiliates know their patients and communities, and are adept at “meeting them where they are.”
Further, strong connections between the pharmacy and clinical staff translate to exquisite patient care. Care is integrated, not siloed. It’s also clear that DAP Health cares about its employees and their families. Happy employees pass on the joy to patients.
Whether walking into the pharmacies at DAP Health in Coachella, Borrego Springs, Cathedral City, or Palm Springs, patients will receive timely, compassionate, and cost-sensitive pharmaceutical care from clinicians who love what they do. Now that’s what I call a win, win, win.