After CVS announced the closure of their Southside location, Bond Community Health Center is making sure people will still have access to a pharmacy.
Bond will soon be opening their own drive thru pharmacy off South Monroe Street. Their goal is to maintain easy access for the community.
"Our mission is to provide access, access, access. So, this is why we're doing this, and this is why it's important so that we could maybe stand in that void so there isn't a pharmacy desert," said Dr. Temple Robinson.
Until this new drive thru pharmacy can open, Bond is working to provide quality, affordable care and medications for patients living on the Southside being affected by the closing of CVS.
"I'm really sad about that because it's one of my favorite CVS. I love the workers in here, the employees. Yes, this is one of my favorite ones so I'm really sad about that," said Tanjie Jones.
Jones has lived on the Southside of Tallahassee for 10 years. She comes to this CVS off of South Monroe Street at least once a month to get her prescriptions filled. With the store now closing on March 16th, she needs to find a new place to go to get her medication.
"We've been anticipating the need for additional retail pharmacy on the Southside," said Robinson.
CEO of Bond Community Health Center Dr. Temple Robinson and other health officials are working to fill the gap that will be left once CVS closes. The center is planning to open its own drive thru pharmacy off South Monroe Street.
Robinson said until renovations for the drive thru site is complete, they're opening up their pharmacy services off Gadsden Street to better serve those that will be impacted by the closing of CVS by filling prescriptions to former customers.
Robinson also adds their mission is just to provide better quality of care from health care provide to patient, something City Commissioner Dianne Williams-Cox says is crucial.
"We do not need to have a drug, prescription desert on the Southside. We want to make sure that residents know that you can get your meds," said Williams-Cox.
Patients can get their prescriptions through curbside pickup, going inside the center or have it mailed to their home. Uninsured patients can even get their medications at a deep discount and, through Bond, can apply for funding for medications they cannot afford. This is something Nurse Practitioner Keshia Washington said will be a huge help.
"It's a critical need for our community. The low-cost prescriptions that we have here at Bond will save tremendous dollars for our people who are already having income barriers with everything going on in today's society."
Williams-Cox is excited to have this community resource in place for people that need it.
"We really appreciate bond pharmacy, that was already in place, stepping up to be able to make sure that our residents get their medication without hardship."
Robinson is hoping to get this new pharmacy up and running by the end of this year. She said they're currently finishing up getting all their permits to start the renovation process.
