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Westphal Pharmacy is an independently owned store in metropolitan Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, that began operating in February 1988 as part of a K-Mart department store. Ten years later, in 1998, Lonnie & Janet Gagnier left their rented 800 sq. foot space to build a 2300 sq. foot pharmacy. With the decision to move, the Gagniers were forced to re- evaluate the needs of their diverse clientele and create a pharmacy that sets them apart from the competition. They abandoned a more traditional focus on volume sales of front store merchandise, opting instead to provide comprehensive pharmaceutical services. Westphal Pharmacy's forward thinking formula for success is quite simple: behind every interaction at the pharmacy is a philosophy to provide individual health care services over and above dispensing in a very comfortable, inviting and professional atmosphere.
Fitting the Pharmacy with the Philosophy
To accommodate their new practice philosophy, the design at Westphal Pharmacy needed to reflect a warm and professional setting. The decor of deep grape and sunny yellow colours invite the patient inside and create a quiet, personal feeling.
The pharmacy is entirely dedicated to health care and does not carry food items, candy, tobacco or sundries. The front shop stocks mainly over-the-counter (OTC) products such as vitamins, cough & cold, eye care, herbals and other health related products. This conscious decision to focus entirely on health care demands many supporting design features. For example, the cash register is situated in the dispensary to encourage dialogue with patients regarding their OTC purchases. To facilitate pharmacist interactions with patients, visibility throughout the store has been enhanced in two ways. First, all pharmacy shelving and dispensary islands are five feet in height or less which provides easy patient visibility. In addition, patients in need of assistance or advice can always be identified from every corner of the store because all enclosed areas around the periphery of the pharmacy (i.e., offices, solid walls in the dispensary, etc.) contain glass partitions, set at eye level for improved visibility.
The layout of Westphal Pharmacy places the pharmacist front and centre, permitting easy access to patients. The dispensary comprises 50% of the pharmacy and is located at the back of the store. A low, ground level reception counter invites the patient...