Pharmacy U people

My entrepreneurial journey has been marked by two main endeavours, the first of which motivated the second. I started out as a community pharmacy owner, and then went on to launch a company to develop decision-support software. It was a natural transition.

When Michael Holland first moved to Bridgewater, N.S., he knew he needed a good pharmacy. At 82 years old, Holland is on eight medications, has a pacemaker and suffers from osteoarthritis and chronic pain. A few bad experiences at the first pharmacy he tried (including lengthy lineups where he was forced to stand, and a mix-up on his prescription) prompted him to the next one on his list: Bridgewater Guardian Pharmacy.

As a pharmacist, I have always been passionate about providing a holistic approach to healthcare and deprescribing (even from my early days as a long-term care pharmacist!). Because the purpose and values of my business resonate with me, I can get excited to go to work every day.

My key driving force to become an entrepreneur was fueled by my passion for patient care and my desire to make a meaningful impact and change in the healthcare industry. Throughout my career in pharmacy, cannabis, neuroscience, and community pharmacy, I witnessed the crucial intersection of business and patient care.

At the end of June, one of my original partners, who also happens to be a pharmacy classmate, Robert (Bob) Wilson, retired and I am so grateful to him for the trust and loyalty that he showed me over the decades.

There have always been challenges confronting pharmacists, the pharmacy industry, and healthcare in Canada. Canadians consistently encounter difficulties with medication therapies, including issues with adherence, adverse effects, unmanaged polypharmacy, and suboptimal outcomes.

The traditional healthcare system can be bureaucratic and slow to adapt to change. By starting my own pharmacy business, I had the autonomy to introduce novel ideas, explore emerging trends, and pioneer digital strategies that could optimize patient outcomes and customer experiences.

I am fuelled by a deep passion for community health, recognizing its pivotal role as the root cause of the challenges that are overwhelming hospitals. I’m also driven by my frustration with a flawed system that demands reform. As a result, I am dedicated to advocating for the significance of community pharmacy practice and the integral role of pharmacists in bridging the expanding gap in primary care.