Getting the right medicine in the right hands the right way. Joe Jones, Medical Advisory Board.
The responsibility of delivering medical cannabis to those who need it is one none of us at Sustainable Alabama takes lightly. A pharmacist since 2010, I now own 13 retail pharmacies and one long term care pharmacy, and I understand what it means to be able to help people, as well as the obligation to do it safely, compliantly, and effectively.
There are a several similarities between the operation of a pharmacy and a dispensary, and our approach to filling medical cannabis recommendations will be reasonably similar to how we fill prescriptions for other medications, while exceeding – all of the government requirements.
They both start with having a knowledgeable, compassionate, and nonjudgmental staff. Each of our dispensary locations will be stocked with all the required reference materials:
• Medical Marijuana: A Clinical Handbook
• Minnesota Department of Health Dosing and Chemical Composition Report
• Rules and Regulations from the AMCC website
• POS/METRC Seed to Sale software manuals
• Practical Considerations in Medical Cannabis Administration and Dosing Journal
We don’t pretend that every member of our staff will have the immediate answer to every question our patients might ask, but we can make sure they can access the materials that do have those answers. If they are not able to access the information by referring to these manuals, we expect to provide our staff instant access to an expert by video or phone for the answer.
We will also undergo regular continuing education, putting in more than the 10 hours of instruction regarding dispensing procedures that is currently required. And because we know specific data will always evolve over time, we will ensure that we are always operating with the latest information.
We also have a responsibility to educate patients.
In each of our pharmacies, we take a lot of pride in knowing our customers on a personal level. Those relationships are developed over time, by consulting with each of them individually, making sure that all their questions are answered. Counseling them with no stigma is very important to our culture, and that is exactly the approach we will utilize in our dispensaries. Especially since this will be a new treatment for many of them, ensuring that they fully understand why they are being given this medicine, and having a clear picture of what to expect is key. We are prepared to spend whatever time is necessary to bring them the comfort and clarity they need.
As pharmacists, we expect to have the experience to read and analyze certificates of analysis and review cannabis products for safety and efficacy. Transitioning from a cannabis product in one form, tincture, to another form, gelatinous cube, requires the expertise of a Certified Dispenser to determine how that THC is metabolized by the body.
We take our responsibility to be discreet, ethical and community-minded very seriously.
In the CBD business, the highest profits are in the Delta products. We have refused to produce them because our owners do not approve of these products, their potential adverse effects on users and have no interest in manufacturing synthetically generated products.
We will provide a secure, professional atmosphere.
On top of our spaces being clean, warm, inviting, neat, and our professional staff wearing uniforms and nametags, we want our customers’ experience to be a safe and pleasant one. That means each dispensary will have full-time security, whether that’s in the form of people or electronic surveillance, and only those with valid, approved medical cannabis cards issued by the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission will be allowed inside.
If the state legislature approves the use of telemedicine, we’ll utilize our partnership with Share Safe to conduct secure HIPAA-compliant telemedicine consultations. These in-dispensary consultations between a Certified Dispenser, patient, physician and caregiver will be the first deployment of a new, impactful technology in a medical cannabis dispensary.
And our exclusive agreement with Drop Thought will feature technology that provides instant access to patient sentiments about the specific cannabis they have been prescribed. We can also monitor and track patient satisfaction with the product and help address any adverse effects they might experience.
The security of our inventory will be paramount, keeping all medication locked away. Weekly, monthly and quarterly inventory checks will be evaluated and performed as necessary to ensure that everything is being tracked and accounted for.
Staying on top of the synchronization process of every patient – knowing when their Physician’s order will need to be refilled – will ensure that every location is properly stocked with the requisite quantities so that our patients have what they need, when they need it, while eliminating overstocking and spoilage.
I had was approached by a number of MSO’s asking me to join them as one of the owners before Sustainable Alabama. For a variety of reasons, I turned those offers down. What drew me to Sustainable Alabama was the ethical approach the organization embodied. Putting the patients over profits, being exclusively an Alabama-run group, and exceeding government operational and safety mandates in order to best serve people align with my personal and professional philosophies.
We care that patients who are prescribed medical cannabis have access to it. This implies those living in rural areas, low-income groups and minority communities. Access to relief from the challenges of a medical condition should be the privilege of all our citizens and we are considering how to determine that those who cannot afford medical cannabis can purchase the product. We do not have a complete solution but are continuing to determine a just solution to this potential inequity, but I am proud that we recognize it and expect to do something about it. The average person or potential user of this product, as recommended by their physician, may not know that medical cannabis use is illegal for low-income citizens who live in federally assisted housing even if medical cannabis is legal under State law; we are aware of this issue but don’t yet have a solution.
I know the work we’ll do will be transformative. There are real needs for medical cannabis in all our communities and giving people alternative options for treatment is important. Being able to deliver relief safely and effectively to every person who needs it isn’t just the responsibility of this staff, it’s our privilege.