Client News
Miami Herald: Letter: Providing honest health and wellness answers
Friday, November 22, 2013
By Jay Rittenberg, Owner, SurfMed Pharmacy
Pharmacists, who make vital contributions to healthcare in the United States through the vital contributions they make through improved medication use and advanced patient care, were recognized in October during National Pharmacist month. The occasion served to promote pharmacists as integral parts of a patient’s health care team and encourage interactions between patients and their pharmacists. I own and operate our family’s business, SurfMed Pharmacy, which has developed into an iconic business serving Miami Beach since 1957.
After more than 50 years of commitment to our family business, serving generations of Miami Beach residents, we continue to offer a broad array of services including education, prevention and wellness services to help our patients improve their health and get more out of their medications. Patients choose SurfMed Pharmacy because they rely on us to provide honest answers about their health and wellness, they appreciate the personal attention, and they have trust in our advice and counseling. This isn’t surprising as pharmacists consistently rank among the nation’s most trusted professionals according to annual polls conducted by Gallup.
Our pharmacists work hard to ensure that they become integral parts of their patients’ healthcare team. Patients are comfortable asking questions about their medications and seeking a pharmacist’s advice, significantly reducing the likelihood of medication errors. Studies suggest that every year in the United States failure to take medications as prescribed causes more than 1.5 million preventable medication-related adverse events and costs the healthcare system approximately $290 billion. Because our patients see SurfMed pharmacists as members of their community, they trust their guidance and value the personalized attention ensuring that they take their medications as effectively as possible.
Beyond simply helping patients understand their current medications, SurfMed pharmacists provided protection and peace of mind against future illnesses. Pharmacists have the training and ability to provide patients with convenient access to life saving immunizations.
A visit to our pharmacy doesn’t require a scheduled appointment, our extended hours offer additional convenience and we provide critical preventative care for Miami Beach residents. In a year, immunizations, including those administered by pharmacists, assist in preventing an estimated 14 million cases of vaccine-preventable diseases and 33,000 deaths nationwide. Here at SurfMed Pharmacy we are happy to do our part to provide our growing community this service.
We have been a successful business and a community resource in Miami Beach, and look forward to the opportunity to serve our patients for the foreseeable future.