David Bateh is the pharmacist and co-owner of Premier Pharmacy of Jacksonville, located inside Premier Foods in Springfield. His brother John handles the business end.
HOW LONG HAVE THEY OPERATED THE PHARMACY?
“We’ve been here since the store opened in August 1997, so it’s going on six years.”
WHAT IS HIS ROLE?
“What I do a lot is try to educate this neighborhood on medication, the proper use of medication. We profile patients. We get a lot of misuse, too. We’re very active in the community in response to the physicians and the needs of Shands. We’re very involved with the alcohol clinic and the mental health clinic. We’re a full service store, so we have everything.”
WHERE WAS HE BEFORE?
“I started at Eckerd and was there for three years. We spent 20 years at Daily Discount Drugs in Arlington before we sold it to Eckerd. It was a 13,000 square-foot store. We wanted to scale down so I could semi-retire, but I’m working just as much. I plan to spend at least another 10, 15 years working. I’ll never retire. I enjoy doing this.”
WHY MOVE TO SPRINGFIELD?
“The reason we came to the old Pic ‘N Save is because we knew the gentleman that owns the grocery side. He talked to us about the possibility of opening a pharmacy in this location. We felt the area was greatly under-served. This area is massive. Thousands of patients go through these hospitals and clinics.”
PREPARING FOR HIPPA
“We’re gearing up for the new HIPPA [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996] regulations and the new privacy act. By April, we have to be compliant. It affects everybody in the health care industry.”
HOW IS HE IMPACTED BY THE NEW REGULATIONS?
“What it means is that you can’t stand at the counter talking to a patient about his medicine. You have to do it privately. You can’t discuss their drug profile if there’s someone standing right behind them. You have to have a sectioned area.
Privacy is the issue. This law went into effect because of the computer age when everything became electronically transmitted. Third party transmitters that accepted our insurance would sell this information to manufacturers.”
HAS THE SPRINGFIELD DEMOGRAPHIC HE SERVES CHANGED?
“The neighborhood is going straight up. With these old homes being renovated, we’re seeing a different clientele moving in. Don’t get them wrong; it’s a good neighborhood. These people need help. They’re pleased to have a pharmacy down here. This is where I first started. I interned at this store as a student.”
WHERE DID HE GO TO SCHOOL?
At the University of Florida, Bateh earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and chemistry in addition to his pharmaceutical training.
WHY BECOME A PHARMACIST?
“I was heading towards medical school, but I was not accepted. This was my second choice. I’ve loved it ever since so it turned out to be a good choice for me.”
WHAT’S MOST REWARDING ABOUT THE JOB?
“Dealing with the public, educating people that lack knowledge about medication. You need to take the time to talk to patients, check their profile and educate them. That’s how we survived all these changes in over 20 years. Chain stores aren’t going to take the time to talk to them. They’re doing 600, 700 prescriptions a day, just throwing them out.”
WHAT CHANGES HAS HE SEEN IN THE PROFESSION?
“I’ve seen chains disappear and independents that have survived. This industry is down to three, four chains. The independent pharmacist that takes care of his patients is still around.”
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE
Bateh’s daughter Rana is also a pharmacist. His son Ronnie is graduating from medical school and another daughter, Miranda, attends UNF, studying health administration. His youngest, Bradley, is still in high school. Issa Bateh, his uncle, is also a pharmacist who provides part-time relief for David.
IS HE FROM JACKSONVILLE?
“Yes. Well, I’m Palestinian in origin, but I’ve been here since I was six years old. I’ve always been here. This is the only life I know. I’m proud to be an American.”
Grove Park is home to Bateh and his wife Renee.
HAS HE HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH RACIAL PROFILING?
“We haven’t. This city is fantastic about that. It’s not like the major communities across the country. We’ve even been contacted by the governor’s office and by the mayor and sheriff’s office here to make sure there were no problems.”
HOBBIES
Bateh enjoys golf, “The Sopranos” and reading about his homeland. His preferred vacation spot is San Francisco.
PET PEEVES?
“HMOs. They are our biggest problem. HMOs try to dictate what to prescribe and what to dispense. They’re strictly for-profit. All they’re looking at is dollars and cents. They’re going to hurt the patient doing that. They are hurting the patient. They drive the physicians and the pharmacists crazy.”
IS THERE AN
EQUITABLE SOLUTION?
“It’s going to have to be a government program where there’s no profit motive. A federal medical and drug program will have to happen.”
— by Monica Chamness