By Renee Larr
On June 1, Eric and Amanda Garst opened Garst RX in Fortville. Garst is committed to bring back patient care as the number one focus to make his business a better choice for patients vs. a large chain pharmacy.
“The biggest thing with us is that we’re independently owned. My wife and I own the pharmacy so it’s not owned by a national chain and it’s not a franchise. With that it makes a big difference in that you have more of an opportunity to go above and beyond for your patients,” said Garst.
Garst RX not only fills prescriptions and sells over-the-counter medications, but they also offer a few extras for their patients.
“We have a drive through which is new for Fortville. We’ll also offer free delivery to our elderly patients who can’t get out of the house. As well as pill box management. It’s good to hand it over to the experts since that’s what we do every day,” said Garst.
Garst knows some patients will worry his pharmacy will be more expensive but says his prices for insurance patients are exactly the same as other stores. He’s also discovered his cash patients (those without insurance) save about 50 percent on their medications.
Garst will also offer assistance to his Medicare patients to navigate the often difficult to understand system.
“During open enrollment I’ll actually sit down with all my Medicare patients and help them pick a plan. That’s free of charge. I’ll talk to them about what plan is best for them – not only for which one cost less but which one covers the medications they’re taking because there are some plans that don’t cover your medication,” Garst said.
Garst grew up in Fortville so it was an easy choice to start his business there.
“I grew up in Fortville and went to high school here. Growing up in a community you tend to fall in love with it so you want to do what is best for the community. Having an independent pharmacy means you have that go to pharmacist that can give you that free medical advice. It’s good to be able to go back to your hometown and make a difference,” said Garst.
For more information on Garst Rx visit garstrx.com.
