A local pharmacy business and the Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium have reached an agreement: White’s Inc. will provide pharmacy services at Sitka’s long-term care facility.
According to a statement released by SEARHC last Friday (5/24/19), White’s will provide consultation on all aspects of pharmacy services in the long-term care facility, which is located at Sitka Community Hospital.
The long-term care unit will stay open after the merger between the two hospitals is finalized in June. It’s anticipated that SEARHC will continue to provide those services from that location until plans to build new hospital on Japonski Island come to fruition, when long-term care will move to the new facility.
KCAW spoke with Trish White, who owns and operates the business with husband Dirk White, both pharmacists.
“We’re happy to have this collaboration and hope for some opportunities for future collaborations,” said White.
The length of the contract between White’s and SEARHC is not specified in the press release. SEARHC recently sent out offer letters to around 160 Sitka Community Hospital employees, guaranteeing jobs with SEARHC for one year. SEARHC also operates its own pharmacy at Mt. Edgecumbe Hospital.
White purchased the business from Sid Fry in 1985, when she managed what was then called Fry’s Pharmacy. Today, White’s Inc. operates two pharmacies in Sitka, White’s Pharmacy and and Harry Race Pharmacy on Lincoln Street, as well as Harry’s Custom Services. They employ over 30 Sitkans, 29 of them full-time.
