Kristina Mallory, pharmacist and owner of Kipp-Mallery Pharmacy IDA in downtown Kamloops also owns two other Kamloops locations.

(STACY PAVLOV / iNFOnews.ca)

Kipp-Mallery Pharmacy IDA is a pharmacy full of history and heart.

     Back in the day when the corner drug store was the heart of downtown Kamloops, it was a place where locals would come in and chat with the pharmacist while waiting on their prescriptions or picking up some health aids and remedies for home. Today, Kipp-Mallery, which has been in business for close to 80 years when it was actually two competing pharmacies, is still a fixture of the busy downtown.

     Now owned and operated by pharmacist Kristina Gifford, the downtown location still sits on the corner of Third Ave. and Victoria St. where it all began.

     “We are the drug experts and we collaborate a lot with the doctors. We’re also a little bit weird because we do all kinds of things here,” said Gifford, who bought the pharmacy three years ago, after working there for 17 years. She has recently also opened two other locations; Landmark Centre and Dallas Town Centre.

     By weird, Gifford means they provide exceptional care and offer some otherwise difficult to find services. She and her 25 staff at her three outlets have some unique training.

     All the pharmacists at each of the locations are injection certified so can provide things such as the flu vaccination. As well, specialty compounding can be done for clients. Since 2014, the pharmacists have been providing custom, high quality compounds for patients when commercially available products aren’t meeting the patients’ needs. Staff can provide tailor-made medications for all ages, and the specially trained staff will ensure the right dose and form. Most commonly, compounds are made for those needing relief from pain, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy or dermatological needs.

     Kipp-Mallery’s travel medicine pharmacist is trained to evaluate a patient’s travel itinerary and relevant medical history to provide needed and proper vaccinations and medications for a trip. These can include immunization for Hepatitis A and B, Typhoid Fever, Meningococcal meningitis, tetanus/diphtheria and many others.

     Gifford said something especially unique about the downtown location is the addition of the iMedicine patient studio.

     “This is a medical clinic on the screen. We have a nurse on site who acts as the doctor’s hands,” explained Gifford.

     This modern approach to medicine delivers healthcare services and clinical information through telecommunication technology such as video, secure networks and Electronic Medical Record solutions, Gifford went on to say. It’s virtual medical care.

     Keeping pharmacists and the staff always busy, Kipp-Mallery provides long-term care and group home services to Kamloops and surrounding areas. They have been doing this for over 30 years and currently service over 650 long-term care and group home beds.

      For those living with diabetes, Kipp-Mallery has a pharmacist trained and certified as a diabetic educator. Patients are welcome to come and learn how to manage diabetes to avoid long-term complications. The pharmacists can provide general information, review medications, go over the details of blood glucose testing, speak about diet and exercise providing recommendations, foot care recommendations and explain what to do in the case of low and high blood sugar.

     The services and products don’t end there as compliance packaging, seniors’ discounts, medication review and even delivery are part of the community service at Kipp-Mallery. As well, customers can find home health care items such as mastectomy supplies, compression socks, mobility aids, ostomy and continence supplies, air casts, crutch rental, breast pump rental and much more.

     Although the three stores and staff are a lot to juggle for Gifford, who is also a wife and mother of two daughters, she says being a pharmacist and business owner is something that gives her a lot of satisfaction and appreciation for her dedicated staff, some of which have been at the pharmacy for 25 years.

Visit www.kippmallery.ca to get a rundown of all their services, products and store locations and hours.

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