Pharmacists change lives every day—and we think that’s something to celebrate! That’s why, in this ongoing series, we spotlight pharmacists who have gone above and beyond to change the lives of their patients.
Today, we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Min Kwon, a pharmacist who works at Notre Dame University of Maryland. We originally spoke to Dr. Kwon as part of AACP’s Healthy Starts Here campaign back in 2017. She was kind enough to share one of her favorite patient stories!
The Problem
During a typical day of patient consultations, Dr. Kwon stopped by to visit a man in his home. This man was around 80 years old and had been a patient of Dr. Kwon’s for some time.
During her in-home visit, the man mentioned that his foot was bothering him and asked that Dr. Kwon take a look. As a pharmacist, Dr. Kwon has extensive medical knowledge that she was able to utilize to quickly assess the foot and determine that there was, in fact, a medical issue that needed to be addressed.
Unfortunately, however, Dr. Kwon didn’t have a physician with her on this visit. And, because the man was home bound, he wouldn’t be able to go into a clinic or office to see the necessary experts. She needed to determine the best way to help the man quickly.
The Solution
With a bit of quick thinking, Dr. Kwon decided to use mobile technology to help the man. She captured an image of his foot and sent it to a nurse practitioner. Then, the three of them hopped on a phone call to discuss the photo and the man’s related symptoms in a bit more detail.
Dr. Kwon and the nurse practitioner decided a regimen of antibiotics would be the best way to manage the man’s illness. Unfortunately, though, because the man was home bound, he couldn’t travel to the pharmacy to obtain his prescription.
Again, Dr. Kwon stepped in to solve the problem. She piled her students in the car and drove to the pharmacy to pick up the prescription on the man’s behalf. With the prescription in hand, Dr. Kwon returned to the man’s home and counseled him on how to correctly use the medication. The nurse practitioner stopped by the next day to ensure the man was feeling better.
A Pharmacist Changing Lives
Thanks to some quick thinking, advanced medical knowledge, and a little bit of modern technology, Dr. Kwon was able to make her patient’s life a little bit easier.
Dr. Kwon’s story is just another example of how pharmacists go above and beyond to change lives each and every day! You, too, can make an impact. Click here to learn why a career as a pharmacist may be right for you!