Health and wellness may be a personal journey, but for pharmacist Scott Carr, he wants to ensure it is an informed process for each and every customer. Carr taps into his 30 years of pharmacology experience to educate and share information with his customers about prescriptions or over-the-counter medications.
“My strength is in my knowledge base and I want our customers to have the information they need to feel comfortable with their care,” says Carr, who is both pharmacist and pharmacy manager at Ideal IDA Drug Mart located at 1416 Wellington Street East.
Carr studied pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Western Ontario but knew that he wanted a career that used his people skills in a helping environment. As a pharmacist, he could merge both of those passions and that lead him to pursue his pharmaceutical studies at the University of Alberta.
“I love my job and I love interacting with people and it feels good to know that I'm helping them when they come in with questions,” he says, adding that he follows the pharmacy motto of customers before profit and will not recommend products if it isn’t in the customers’ best interest.
Sometimes people perform their online research, but he advises against self-diagnosing or prescribing.
“A lot of the online information can be complicated or not fact-based so I do encourage people to come in and talk to us and we’ll present information in a format that is easier to understand and is factual,” he says.
Carr will recommend reputable online sites if customers require further information.
While Carr’s 25-year history at the Wellington Street East location (and 30 years with the company overall) makes him an immediately recognizable resource person, he is quick to point out the value and contribution of his pharmacy staff. His team is made up of fellow pharmacist Rita DeSumma and three pharmacy assistants: Carm Valente, Angela Johnson and Tyler Spin.
“I might be the face that people see or the person they interact with but I'm only able to do my job as well as I do because my team is doing their job so well,” he says.
While COVID-19 precautions mean that conversations now take place with a plexiglass shield keeping both customers and staff safe, customers – existing or new to the pharmacy – are still encouraged to bring in their questions.
“Scott takes great pride in his patients and he provides excellent care,” says Joseph Greco, co-owner of four IDA Drug Marts in Sault Ste. Marie. “He takes as much time as he needs with each patient to ensure they are happy with their medications and he brings patient care to another level.”
The respect is mutual. Carr says it’s easy to love your job when the ownership respects your knowledge and trusts your capabilities and your team consistently delivers quality customer service.
In addition to Greco, the co-owners of four IDA Drug Marts in Sault Ste. Marie are Sam DeSumma, Frank Perna and Mark Febbraro. Their locations are Ideal IDA Drug mart at 1416 Wellington Street East, Wellington Square Mall IDA, Market Mall IDA, and the recently opened Queenstown IDA, at the corner of Queen and Bruce Streets.
Have a question about a prescription or over-the-counter medication? Ideal IDA Drug Mart is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. The pharmacy can be reached by calling 705-759-4818. Free delivery, minimum wait times for prescription renewals.