December 22, 2024
Anthony Pettine hopes to fight health disparities in the Black Toledo community with his new pharmacy.
Anthony Pettine Opens Pharmacy in Toledo, Ohio With the opening last week of Junction Family Pharmacy, located at 1339 Dorr St., the community will now be able to get their medication and medical needs from independent black pharmacies. and with over 15 years of experience in the field as a professor at various schools, Patin is qualified to do so.
Initially based in Buffalo, New York, Pattin decided to return to his family home in Toledo, he said Toledo Blade“Actually going to New York and just being back in the area, it let me know that I really wanted to do it. I thought about staying in New York and doing it, but I thought it would be great to be back here with my family, making it more of a family affair.” , being able to work with them as well as my own community.”
How? reports by Toledo BladePatin is looking to fill the void left by the Rite Aid drugstore’s departure from the city.
Pattin remembers. “I was thinking of waiting maybe a year to do it, but then it really pushed it. When (they) leave, it just leaves a big hole and people have to travel all the way from here.”
The announcement of the opening of Junction Family Pharmacy already has locals calling for their prescriptions to be transferred to the black-owned independent business.The interest has fueled Patin’s excitement to begin this new chapter in her life and address health disparities in Toledo’s black community through the lens of a pharmacist.
“Another thing is that it allows me to serve patients like myself. I’ve worked in many other pharmacies where I haven’t had that opportunity,” Pettin said.
The father and husband shared what inspired him to start helping people when he was still in high school.
The 2003 Central Catholic High School graduate said: “What inspired me was that I had an elderly neighbor in high school, and he was having a hard time taking his meds. He had to do mail order, which I didn’t understand at the time, but I helped him sort it out.”
Patin’s drive to bring more equitable care to the pharmacy arena is driven by her extensive education.She received her Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of Toledo, then went on to complete her residency in the Community Pharmacy Residency Program with Kroger.
Her research in school focused on African-American perceptions of vaccines, and she admits it helped her understand the diverse perspectives of the black community in the medical industry.
“I learned a lot. One thing is that not everyone feels the same way.I had a bunch of people who wanted vaccines but said, “Actually, when I go to the pharmacy, they don’t offer it,” and that’s how I found out that there were some pharmacies, even in their own community, that didn’t offer that service, Pattin said were that maybe they don’t want the service, but they don’t have it available.”
Patin added: “And that’s what we’re seeing here, because it’s not that people don’t want their prescription drugs, but if they’re not available nearby in their community, it’s going to hurt their health. So here we’re talking about the social determinants of health.” in terms of accessibility, which is a big part of it.”
Patin chose to open an independent pharmacy to offer the personalized, compassionate care often lacking in larger, high-volume pharmacy chains.
“The biggest thing is talking to people. You have to really talk to people and get to know them, and that’s me out here in the community, getting to know my patients. When they start to trust you, they know you’re really there for them,” Pattin said :
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