Bainbridge Pharmacy, an independently-owned pharmacy at 1420 Evans Street, is taking advantage of a new professional learning opportunity which will help it provide even better service to its customers.

Edward Reynolds, owner of Bainbridge Pharmacy, participates with 10 other pharmacy owners in the Compliant Pharmacy Alliance (CPA) University, a performance improvement group. CPA University developed from a similar group developed for a group of Texas pharmacies; it has since expanded to include a select number of top community pharmacies nationwide.

The groups meet in person twice a year near one of the participants’ locations. Reynolds and Bainbridge Pharmacy recently hosted a group of other pharmacy owners. Highlights of the visit included a tour of the pharmacy’s expanded café and gift display area, as well as a new compounding lab and a pharmacy counter that has been re-designed to boost customer service efficiency.

Bainbridge Pharmacy has also opened up a second drive-through window, making it easier for customers to pick up and drop off their prescriptions. The pharmacy also continues to offer online refills through its Web site, www.bainbridgepharmacy.com

The purpose of the group is to share ideas about better business practices and help each other become premier community pharmacies. The group will also meet once a month using Internet teleconferencing to discuss progress on the goals of the group and share changes in the business environment that challenge each business owner during that period.

During the visit to each participant’s pharmacy, the other members of the group will tour and critique the pharmacy, staff and pharmacy practices as they watch the store function on their visit. Each member of the group has gained improvement in their business practices over the course of this process.

CPA formed when five regional compliant buying groups developed a unique business model and joined together to form what is now the fourth-largest chain of pharmacies in the United States. Each of these regional buying groups was able to submit one or two pharmacies to the CPA University group when it was formed. Edward Reynolds, from Bainbridge Pharmacy, and Fran Sherrill, the owner of three pharmacies in Western Kentucky and Southern Illinois, are the two businesses owners that represent the Georgia-based group.