Walmart Market Director of the Year: Shantay Peloquin, RPh

Shantay Peloquin, RPh, started her Walmart career when she was just 16 years of age. A stint as cashier in a Walmart pharmacy is where her love for health care began, and her father’s career as a pharmacist helped set her on a path toward high standards—for herself and for patient care.

With a bachelor of science in chemistry from Northeast Louisiana University, Shantay became a Walmart pharmacy technician and then a pharmacy intern while in pharmacy school at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. After graduating in 2000, she managed a few stores, was promoted to pharmacy district manager in 2004, and became Health and Wellness market director in 2009. She now oversees her region while the regional director is piloting a new project.

Shantay enjoys “capturing life’s precious moments” through photography and spending time with her husband and 3 young children. The importance of family became very clear to her about 3 years ago when she developed Guillain-Barré syndrome, a peripheral nerve disease that paralyzes the body, beginning with the lower extremities. While incapacitated for 2 months, she thought deeply about her faith and family. A testament to her faith and drive, her reaction to her illness was to become an avid runner. Six months after recovering, she ran her first half marathon, and she has run 8 more since.

Shantay’s spirit and drive are also evident in her work, which has earned her the title Walmart Market Director of the Year. “Highly respected by her peers, Shantay teaches, trains, and empowers her pharmacy managers to always go the extra mile,” says Germaine Robottom, RPh, MBA, senior director, Health and Wellness, Central Division, Walmart. “She always puts the patient first and has very high standards when it comes to delivering quality patient care. She is … always willing to be the first to pilot new Health and Wellness Initiatives.”

According to Shantay’s supervisor Craig R. Andrews, Health and Wellness regional director, Shantay is a model for the business and others. “Shantay has a passion for the business and service to the patient. This is shown in her stores through the way they look and operate to deliver quality patient care,” says Andrews. “Her market has been a testing ground for most of the company pilots and ideas [for improving] patient experience, quality, and compliance. This is because of her desire to produce quality outcomes and provide real-time feedback to ensure a quality product is achieved. Shantay is a top performer and an advocate for her people and the practice of pharmacy.”

Q What advice do you have for other pharmacists?

A Pharmacy is evolving; I have seen it transition from a dispensing role to a clinical one in my 15 years with Walmart. Pharmacists must understand that 1 interaction can make a difference. I stand behind the motto, “Care to the power of 1: how 1 person can make a difference.” Pharmacy will continue to evolve into a health services destination, as health care is becoming one of the most important services sought by Americans. I encourage pharmacists to continue to be open-minded and look for ways to provide care to the power of 1, 1 patient at a time.

Q What is the most important issue in pharmacy today?

A Accessibility and affordability of health care for all Americans is the most important issue in pharmacy today. Pharmacy serves as an access point that is underutilized within the total health service package. Community pharmacists can be utilized to prevent readmission rates for individuals with diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. The challenge is figuring out how to bridge the gap between physicians and patients in an outpatient setting. I believe pharmacists are a major part of that bridge, as our company moves forward with enhanced counseling and clinical services.

Q What advice would you give to a new pharmacist?

A New pharmacists must understand that they hold people’s lives in their hands each day. Their knowledge and expertise can enhance the quality of their patients’ lives. The most important thing they can gain is their patients’ trust, which is earned by understanding the responsibility that pharmacists have and delivering the best care possible.

Q How do your roots in your community help you do a better job?

A My roots in my community allow me to understand patients’ needs. I have built solid relationships with providers in the community. These relationships allow us to grow and develop new health services and programs such as immunization and medication therapy management. I am excited and feel privileged to be a part of a company that is looking for new and better ways to serve our community.