One of the many ways Hill’s Clinic Pharmacy continues to serve the residents of Portage la Prairie and the surrounding area is through Specialty Compounding.
A cutting-edge service provided by leading pharmacies, Specialty Compounding is a process through which, by working with a doctor, customized medications can be created to meet the unique needs of patients. Hill’s, for example, is able to make medication that comes in the form of capsules, creams, ointments, suppositories and oral suspensions, to name a few.
It’s a specialized offering, and over the years Hill’s pharmacists and technicians have undergone Specialty Compounding training in Ontario and participated in seminars run by the Professional Compounding Centers of America. More than professional development, it’s a way for Hill’s to give back to the community by investing in staff and the tools they use.
Given that Hill’s makes at least eight different creams that contain diclofenac, they’ve purchased a new mixer to make their Specialty Compounding even more efficient. The results are passed on to patients in and around Portage, who can pick up ready-made specialty medications or have them created to their doctor’s specifications.
Specialty Compounding is something the staff at Hill’s Clinic Pharmacy takes pride in and enjoys doing, especially when the process requires advanced scientific knowledge and meticulous attention to detail – like with capsule creation.
A lot of knowledge and a good deal of finesse is required as the capsules are filled, packed and weighed. And when a prescription arrives for a specialty compound they’ve never made, the Hill’s team relies on research expertise to ensure they have the right ingredients and processes to make the best compound.
Pam Cuthbert and Pam Gauthier are two Hill’s team members who happen to share a name and a passion: educating Portage residents on Specialty Compounding and how it can make a difference in their lives.
Eutectic mixtures made with menthol and camphor crystals (both crystals that when combined turn into a liquid) is one of Cuthbert’s favourite things to make in Hill’s Specialty Compounding room. She also enjoys making Triple Goop. Although the ingredients are messy and labour intensive if worked on by hand, a recent equipment upgrade now allows an EMP (electronic mortar and pestle) to do all the mixing, resulting in a very elegant preparation.
Pam Gauthier, meanwhile, says she’s proud to have developed the confidence to come up with solutions to the issues that can arise when making compounds. In fact, she’s become Hill’s go-to expert for Specialty Compounding. A particular passion of hers is fulfilling compound prescriptions for children experiencing UTI’s. They’re made ASAP, as no child should have to suffer with those.
Someday, she says, she’d like to have enough demand to make medication in lollipop form!
Hill’s Clinic Pharmacy, located at 140 9th St SE, 103, in Portage la Prairie, can be reached by calling (204) 239-1368