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Pharmacy’s future up in air<br>FMC steps in to keep open until April 28

The future of a full-time pharmacy at Grand Canyon National Park was up in the air last week. A decision had been made to close the pharmacy this coming Friday.

But late last week, Dan Hoffman of Flagstaff Medical Center came up to Grand Canyon to meet with a Banner Health Arizona official and a decision was made to keep the pharmacy open at least until April 28. Its future after that date appears uncertain.

Whether or not the pharmacy remains open on a part-time or full-time basis, if at all, after the April 28 date is not yet known, said Sheila Matjazic, clinic manager.

Hoffman, outpatient pharmacy supervisor for FMC, said there will always be some type of service available.

“We are working on some kind of pharmacy services,” Hoffman said. “At the very minimum, we’ll have an 800 number and a courier will bring them (prescriptions) up the next day. But we’re also looking at options for people needing services right away.”

Hoffman said he did not how negotiations were going involving the future of any services, adding “we’re working with Banner on trying to make some sort of transition.”

The pharmacy, which has provided full-time service to Grand Canyon since Samaritan took it over in 1981, is just part of the story involving the future of health care in the park. The National Park Service and FMC have been negotiating over the past few months in an effort to keep the clinic open. Banner, which had originally planned to close the clinic on Feb. 1, vowed to keep the facility open through April.

“It’s put a damper on everybody’s morale,” said Bridget Bradford, Bradford and Paula Napier, pharmacist, will lose their jobs as a result of the closure. Bradford, who has lived at Grand Canyon for six years with her husband, hopes another position will be offered to her.

Napier, on the other hand, has stayed on an extra four months because another pharmacist could not be hired. She plans to move to Wisconsin.

Bradford said many segments of the local public have been upset about news of the closure, saying they “just can’t believe it can happen here.” Bradford said many people do not realize the pharmacy is a business and not operated by the NPS.

“It’s going to hamper people of the Grand Canyon because they don’t have easy access,” Napier said. “There are a lot of Amfac employees who have no transportation and there are many who do not have high incomes.”

The biggest impact, Napier said, will lie with visiting tourists, who do not stay for long and may not have the time to wait for a courier service to bring in a prescription. The clinic does have drugs that can be prescribed in short-term situations. Bradford said the clinic’s closure will impact a lot of people who use “maintenance drugs” such as insulin to treat diabetes.

“The community here is very laid back and is used to getting services right away,” Napier said. “But they’re adaptable. I’d have to say the community has been wonderful.”

Matjazic urges people to contact the pharmacy so their active prescriptions can be transferred to a pharmacy of their choice.

“If we don’t hear from them, it will make it more difficult,” Matjazic said. “There’s really no work for them other than the phone call.”

Napier said current customers have until April 28 to call and change their pharmacy. The public can call the pharmacy at 638-2460 to make changes.


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