HATTIESBURG—When Robert Donnell opened a compounding-only pharmacy in South Mississippi in the late 1990s, many friends and physicians cautioned him not to expect a favorable outcome.

 

“Our business started out very, very slow,” admitted Donnell, RPh, owner of Vital Care in Hattiesburg. “With dogged determination, we began enjoying some success within a few years. Of course, any good business plan started with good people. Jimmy Rodgers and I have been working together for over 30 years, and Missy James, a wonderful technician and more, has been working with us for over 25 years. We thought compounding would be helpful to the people of the Pine Belt area and to local physicians that may be looking for other options when traditional therapies fail. We now have a wonderful staff of seven good-natured and caring people, all cross-trained in the business.”

 

Donnell had been a familiar face in local pharmacy circles since joining Love Drug Company in Hattiesburg in 1968, when he and his wife, Linda, moved to the area for her to attend graduate school at the University of Southern Mississippi. “It was a good move,” he said, “because she wound up with a PhD and our two sons and four wonderful grandchildren.”

 

When the owner of Love Drug died, Donnell acquired the business that had been a downtown landmark since 1907. He purchased the adjacent building, removed the interior wall, and added a deli that became a meeting place for the active downtown association. In 1979, he purchased a second pharmacy. In 1995, he acquired a third drug store.

 

“We really enjoyed the downtown scene,” said Donnell, “but after some health problems, we began to consider a change. After interviewing several potential purchasers, we sold the business to Rite Aid on a Friday in December 1998.”

 

The following Monday, Donnell opened the compounding-only pharmacy as part of the Vital Care Compounder Inc. franchise.

 

“We decided to expand into compounding only when we needed to make a change,” said Donnell. “We were frustrated with all the demands of insurance companies in getting claims to go through online for regular prescription medications.  There are only a few national chains now that are healthy, and you may see one of those go out of business within the next 18 months. Our uniqueness is because we only dispense compounded medications, and we don’t stock any normal drug store or pharmacy items, thus allowing us to have the luxury of time to spend on solutions to problems and compounding.”

 

Among other specialized products such as sterile supplies, the highly technical prescription compounding service provides hormone restoration therapy using natural hormones derived from soy and yams, that is then restored to the patient in the proper ratio and dosage. Extensive in-house and outside-lab testing insures quality of the final product.

 

“Each prescription is especially made and designed for each individual person, resulting in a wonderful positive outcome,” said Donnell. “Women comprise the majority of patients, but the male patient component is growing rapidly.”

 

The Vital Care team also handles individual consults for nausea and nutritional supplements, which are then forwarded to the customer’s local physician for approval before being dispensed to the patient.

 

“We follow the patient’s progress and make adjustments when necessary,” said Donnell. “One of our greatest impacts is for hospice patients who are experiencing pain and nausea. When the patient’s symptoms are improved, it helps the entire family, not just the patient.”

 

Donnell called veterinary compounding—medications for dogs and cats, and also horses, birds, snakes, monkeys and tigers—“just plain fun.”

 

“Helping patients of all kinds with highly technical compounded medications is richly rewarding as a caring pharmacist,” he said.“Working with patients and physicians (and veterinarians) to determine a solution to a need is a real challenge, but also really enjoyable when you have success.” 

 

The compounding pharmacy industry as a whole is challenged by the lack of insurance coverage for compounding medications and “the occasional bad apple.”

 

“Most of our medications aren’t covered by insurance due to the compounding aspect,” said Donnell. “However, most of our patients are so satisfied; they feel that an investment in their health is a good value. Once they see the success and feel better, they tell their friends.”

 

Donnell shook his head when talking about compounding pharmacies that have come under scrutiny for alleged “drug dealing,” such as the Orlando outfit accused of being the hub of a nationwide drug ring involving the supply of steroids and human-growth hormones.

 

“This immediately puts a cloud over any similar operation,” he said. “All we can do is the best we can on the utmost highest level.”

 

Vital Care is nationally accredited by the ACHC, Inc. (Accreditation Commission for Health Care, Inc.) and has been recognized by both state and national pharmacy organizations for its role in compounding.

 

“I laugh and tell people,” joked Donnell, “that it’s only taken 40 years to enjoy some success.”