31-year old Dr. Marcus Howard is a St. Louis entrepreneur who recently received $1M to build an innovative new pharmacy to combat the impact of Walgreens closings in his hometown.
GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness is a full-service pharmacy that combines free delivery and telehealth services to allow patients in pharmacy deserts to get care from the comfort of their homes.
There are currently 45,000 residents in St. Louis living in pharmacy deserts and with more Walgreens closings on the horizon, the number could grow significantly.
After local Walgreens closures began to create pharmacy deserts for thousands of residents in St. Louis, Dr. Howard began raising $1M to build a pharmacy that would help address the growing pharmacy deserts in his hometown. According to a podcast on Nine PBS, Dr. Howard got the boost he needed when he met fellow St. Louis resident and Build-a-Bear Workshop Founder, Maxine Clark.
With Clark’s business background and expansive network, the two were able to identify 80 potential investors for the project.
After receiving 79 rejections, a local foundation focused on health equity gave Dr. Howard a $1M investment to build GreaterHealth Pharmacy & Wellness.
From a centrally located hub, the pharmacy delivers medication to the homes of residents across the metropolitan area.
They also employ a team of pharmacists who provide telehealth services over the phone or on Zoom. Telehealth services include medication education, comprehensive medication review, health screenings, coordinating provider appointments and more.
“To make pharmacy more accessible in pharmacy deserts we are first bridging the trust gap and second, we are making it more convenient by offering free delivery and telehealth options,” says Dr. Howard. The pharmacy has also trademarked the phrase radically inclusive, culturally responsive pharmacy and has a mission to provide services to all people and across all lines of difference.
Dr. Howard has plans to scale his model across Missouri and is interested in partnering with investors to scale this model across the U.S. in communities that are significantly impacted by Walgreens closings and those living in severe pharmacy deserts.
