Stark Pharmacy Gives Patients Personal Attention

Ernie Rupp, RPh, a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, is the co-owner of Stark Pharmacy in Overland Park, Kansas.

After graduating from pharmacy school, Rupp worked as a pharmacist in a chain pharmacy for 3 years but knew he wanted more out of his career. “My love for independent pharmacy began in college during my final semester rotations. My preceptor was a huge influence, and I owe a lot to him for what he taught me about independent pharmacy,” he said.

After this realization, Rupp began working for a small independent pharmacy, floating between 2 locations. After several years, the owner decided to close the pharmacies. Stark Pharmacy purchased one of the locations and brought Rupp back as a pharmacist shortly after. After working first as a staff pharmacist and then as a pharmacy manager for 19 years, Rupp was offered the chance to buy in when one of the owners decided to retire in 2020, and he has been one of the owners ever since.

Stark Pharmacy opened in 1966 and has been in its current location in Overland Park, Kansas, since 1994. The pharmacy specializes in compounding and is accredited by the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board. It is associated with the University of Kansas as a preceptor site, and Rupp says he hopes to encourage and educate future pharmacists about the benefits of independent pharmacy, just as his preceptor did for him. Rupp’s partner, Jeff Kivett, RPh, is the official preceptor for the pharmacy interns. The pharmacists and expert technicians work with the interns, teaching them the step-by-step process of compounding, and the interns have opportunities to learn by writing drug monographs for compounded items.

“We like to give our patients the extra attention they cannot get from the big chains,” Rupp said. “My cashiers are terrific and really take ownership of the position. They must know 75% of our patients by their first name. They really treat them special.” Rupp notes that their personalized service is what sets them apart. “We bend over backward to make everything right for the patients.”

In addition to compounding, Stark Pharmacy offers many other services to its patients. In August 2023, the pharmacy launched a private-label vitamin line. “The vitamins are slowly building momentum within our community and online. We tailored what we carry to fit our patients’ needs, such as items that help with menopause, low testosterone, probiotics, antioxidants, ω-3, stress relievers, and of course multivitamins and minerals like magnesium,” Rupp said.

The pharmacy also offers extensive compounding services, including items such as low-dose naltrexone; sinus irrigation capsules; various supplements including different formulations of vitamin B12, topical vitamin A, and vitamin-based scar cream; and topical solutions for hair loss containing minoxidil, finasteride, latanoprost, spironolactone, and other ingredients. Rupp and his staff are also experts at compounding unique items, such as a topical solution containing 25% podophyllin in benzoin tincture to treat black hairy tongue.

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) consults are offered as a free service with Karen Butler, RPh. From the consults, pharmacists recommend BHRT compounds such as estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone to the patient’s health care providers to treat symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.

Like many other pharmacies, Stark Pharmacy is involved in vaccinating the community. “I love speaking with patients oneon-one while they are receiving vaccines. I have had patients tell me that Stark Pharmacy is the only place they would get a vaccine now because of how great my entire staff is. We offer influenza, COVID-19, shingles, pneumococcal, tetanus, and [respiratory syncytial virus] vaccines. We provide flu vaccine clinics [from] September through November every year to local employers. They come to us for professional service, with no minimum patient number required and no setup fee. We are a lot easier to work with than the larger vaccine providers,” Rupp said.

To share pharmacy information and happenings, Stark Pharmacy has a blog on their website and utilizes various forms of social media on a regular basis, including Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), and TikTok. Rupp aims to post 3 to 5 times per week, sharing videos where he personally communicates information to the pharmacy’s patients, including the following:

• The process of BHRT consultations and how to use associated products
• Special products offered by the pharmacy
• The importance of donating blood
• The benefits of a compounding pharmacy
• How to prevent and treat a bloody nose (pro tip: insert a cotton ball soaked in oxymetazoline nasal spray into the affected nostril)

Rupp recalls a heartwarming story that occurred recently. “This past Christmas Eve, the day is winding down, and in walks one of our regular BHRT patients. She is holding the biggest German chocolate cake she made from scratch. She gave the cake to us and thanked us for treating her and her husband so well when they came in to pick up medicine. Those moments are special,” he said.

Because helping the community is important to Rupp and his staff, he shares that most staff members participate in individual outreach activities. Rupp and one of his technicians volunteer with a local Boy Scouts of America troop, and several other pharmacists volunteer with their church.