RX Express Pharmacy now offering COVID vaccines
Nicklaus McMellon, PharmD, CPh, started shadowing his father Paul, RPh, when the family business Rx Express Pharmacy opened in 2002. Now 28, he is the full-time pharmacist.
“I love it. I would never do anything else,” Nick said.
Owner Paul, Nick and their staff are dedicated to helping you live a healthier life.
“We like to take the approach of a more traditional community pharmacy,” Paul said. “We view it as serving the community. At Rx Express, you are treated as more than just a patient or customer.”
Rx Express is now providing COVID-19 vaccines, offering the Johnson & Johnson and Moderna vaccines. Walk-ins are welcome from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for Moderna, but appointments must be made for the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The vaccine is covered by insurance and programs are available to get the vaccine free of charge for the uninsured.
“The vaccine is covered for every patient,” Nick said. “We’re doing about 10 a day. It changes week to week.”
The newest program at the pharmacy is the Test and Treat program. A newer Florida law now allows qualified pharmacists to test for the flu and strep throat and provide treatment to qualified patients at their pharmacy.
“If they test positive and it’s appropriate, I can provide them treatment,” Nick said. “If it’s negative, I can give recommendations on what to do next.”
Test and Treat makes Rx Express a one-stop shop. People who are sick with strep throat or the flu need to be taken care of, and COVID-19 shouldn’t impede that, Nick said.
Rx Express will begin giving flu shots in early October. Nick recommends everyone consider getting a flu shot because the flu is still around.
Being independently owned has not stopped Rx Express from offering a wide range of options.
“With an independent pharmacy, everybody thinks you don’t have it, you can’t get it, you don’t accept their insurance, the cost is higher and that’s typically just not true,” Nick said. “We take almost all the insurances. We accept Tri-Care, Florida Blue, most of the Medicare plans. And our cost is usually comparable or cheaper than a lot of the bigger chain stores.”
Rx Express has a state-of-the-art PharmSmart blood pressure machine that can link blood pressure readings to the pharmacy’s computer system and provide your physician with your blood pressure history. You purchase a secure card for a one-time fee of $5 that you insert into the machine, and it tracks all your blood pressure readings. Then, you can go online and print out your entire history to better be able to track your health.
Located at 8986 Ortega Park Drive in Navarre, Rx Express Pharmacy also provides Medication Therapy Management services. Pharmacists do an in-depth review with you about your medications and conditions. The pharmacists at Rx Express Pharmacy are highly trained and can answer all your medication questions and provide you with the best medication recommendations.
Transferring your medications to Rx Express Pharmacy is an easy process. Just provide the staff with your basic information, including a photo ID and your insurance card, and the pharmacy will do the rest. Once your medications are at Rx Express Pharmacy, you can download the RefillRX app to see your current medications and request a refill all on your smartphone.
And for people who would like to avoid coming into stores, Rx Express offers a drive-thru window, which has been very helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic, Nick said.
Rx Express’s efficient staff, which typically includes six or seven employees on the floor at a time, provides efficient and accurate prescription filling to every customer.
“We have a lot more employees here than a lot of other stores, so we pride ourselves on a 15-minute or less wait time for most every prescription,” Nick said. “No point in going to the provider’s office and waiting and then having to go to the pharmacy and wait two or three hours.”
Rx Express Pharmacy
8986 Ortega Park Drive in Navarre
850-936-6446
Hours:
Monday-Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.