In 1989, Jim Gibbs opened Gibbs Pharmacy in the town of Lebanon, Tennessee, hoping to bring personalized, friendly care to the community. By building an excellent team and installing state-of-the-art pharmacy automation technology, Gibbs was dedicated to running a business that helped patients take care of all aspects of their health. Thirty years later, the pharmacy team continues to find new ways to give patients the best possible care. To learn more about life at Gibbs Pharmacy, we spoke with CPhT and Specialty Operations Coordinator, Christian Bardon, who gave us some insight into how the pharmacy staff works together behind the counter and out in the community. 

Pharmacy owners Jim Gibbs and Andrew Byrd focus on building strong relationships with the community

One of the staff's favorite parts about working at a hometown pharmacy? A wonderful culture that allows them to build one-on-one relationships with their patients. Gibbs Pharmacy's dynamic approach to healthcare means that Wilson County residents have access to a consistently growing number of healthcare services including med sync, vaccines, free delivery, Ideal Protein, and multi-dose pill packaging. To further enhance the patient care available, Gibbs also offers compounding. As a compounding pharmacy, to customize medications to fit patients' individual needs including formulations without dye, preservatives, alcohol, and sugar.

By offering compounding, Gibbs Pharmacy can provide patients with custom dosages and dosage forms that aren't commercially available

While the staff at Gibbs Pharmacy already gives their all to patient care while on the job, their commitment to helping members of their town also extends beyond the pharmacy. The pharmacy staff is grateful to have the opportunity to support causes like local schools and residents fighting cancer with events that have turned into annual traditions. One favorite event, the Cumberland University Health Fair, gives the pharmacy the chance to make healthcare accessible to their community by providing attendees with free vaccinations. 

Members of the Gibbs Pharmacy team offer flu shots at the Cumberland University Community Health Fair

Another staff favorite annual tradition is their Be a Santa to a Senior event. Each year around Christmastime, the pharmacy staff decorates their Christmas tree with paper ornaments printed with different items needed by seniors in a local nursing home. Pharmacy customers can pick an ornament from the tree and gift a senior with their needed items. Members of the pharmacy staff then deliver the gifts and share a Christmas celebration. Bardon explained that events like these are important to Gibbs Pharmacy "because we make it a priority to take care of the community that has taken care of us all these years." 

"We love to be able to give back to our community and put a smile on their faces!"

When owner Jim Gibbs opened Gibbs Pharmacy in 1989, he aimed to build a pharmacy that served "the entire patient, from prevention to overall wellness." When he and Byron Pirtle became business partners in 1997, they knew that creating "a small town pharmacy with big city technology" would help  them provide the best possible service to their patients. Incorporating the latest in pharmacy automation technology into their workflow has helped the pharmacy staff complete tasks quickly, which leads to a shorter wait for patients. Automating processes like pill packaging and reconstitution has also helped the pharmacy staff ensure accuracy. Most importantly, installing technology that speeds up tasks gives staff members more time to focus on their patients. 

The staff members at Gibbs Pharmacy pride themselves on making patients feel welcome and providing them with great care

In 2019, the Gibbs team decided to install the FLAVORx Auto to enhance the level of care they could offer to families in Lebanon. With the Auto in their pharmacy, the pharmacy staff can easily customize the taste of liquid medications for kids, improving adherence and reducing medicine-time stress for the whole family. Bardon told us that the Auto has brought a welcome change for their patients: "We get their medications ready faster so they don't spend time waiting here, and we have so many flavors to offer so that kids will want to take the medications they need! Also mom and dad don't have to fight them to take it."

Installing the FLAVORx Auto has also improved workflow behind the pharmacy counter for the Gibbs staff. Before the Auto, preparing liquid medications required measuring out distilled water by hand, so Bardon appreciates that it's "much, much faster than the traditional method." The Auto also helps the pharmacy staff ensure accuracy since automating reconstitution of medications means that there are fewer opportunities for mistakes.

With the Auto, staff members can let children choose how they want their medicine to taste, including common prescriptions like Amoxicillin 

The FLAVORx team would like to thank everyone at Gibbs Pharmacy for all that they do for their patients and community. We are glad to have the chance to share their story! If you are interested in being featured as our next FLAVORx Pharmacy of the Month, please send an email to ctaylor@flavorx.com