About Us

A Mission and a Promise

My brother Fred was a community pharmacist for more than 40 years. His example inspired me to follow him into the profession.

Fred was as good a clinical pharmacist as I’ve ever known. Few understood human physiology like he did, or the adverse effects that medications can have when used or combined incorrectly.

From Fred I learned how valuable pharmacists can be to their patients and communities when their expertise is fully applied. Physicians in his community often would call Fred for consultations. They’d describe their patient’s symptoms, and Fred would advise them on what drug to prescribe.

He saved lives and improved the quality of life for those in his care. For example, after Georgia limited the number of monthly prescriptions for Medicaid recipients, a man came to Fred’s pharmacy in despair. He was taking 13 or 14 medications per month. “I don’t know how I can afford the ones they won’t pay for anymore,” he said.

Fred sat down with him and reviewed all the medications. He told him, "Here are the four you really need.  Let's talk to your doctor about stopping the others and see if you feel better."  The doctor agreed and about a month later the man came back and said he had never felt so good. 

Fred saw the great need for doctors and pharmacists to work closely together. He knew that better coordination of medications would lead to better outcomes. He also understood that, as long as “someone else” was paying for prescriptions, there was no real incentive for today’s uncoordinated system to change.

About a week before he died, Fred asked me, “Will you promise to try to start a company that will focus on proper use of medication?”

Because of my brother, and because of my own training as a pharmacist, I have a special passion for the work of PharmMD. Every day, we will make every effort to improve the well-being not just of our client organizations but of every person in our care. It is more than our mission. It is our promise.

Clayton McWhorter, Chairman