The WinnMed Pharmacy in Decorah to open February 1

DECORAH, Iowa -- WinnMed will serve patients and the broader region in a new way beginning February 1, 2024 through the opening of their retail pharmacy. Located in the renovated North Building on their Decorah campus, the WinnMed Pharmacy offers retail pharmacy services, including: prescription filling and education, over-the-counter medications, medication adherence packaging, medication synchronization, compounding, drug disposal, vaccines and other services. Future plans include pharmacists serving in a consultative role for the Mayo Clinic Health System clinical practice at WinnMed, and providing a meds-to-beds program for hospitalized patients ready for discharge. The new WinnMed Pharmacy serves patients from all health systems and providers, and accepts most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, Blue Cross, CVS/Caremark, ExpressScripts, Optum and many others. As patients refill prescriptions or request new prescriptions, staff will work with them and their insurance carriers to ensure in-network coverage prior to filling. They offer convenient parking including handicapped spaces; mail and delivery services, and the new pharmacy features a drive-through option. Hours of operation are Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. The pharmacy is closed Sundays and major holidays. The WinnMed Pharmacy phone number is 563-387-3000. The Donlon to WinnMed Transition The WinnMed Board of Trustees approved the acquisition of Donlon Pharmacy in June of 2023. Following an extensive renovation of WinnMed's North Building, the pharmacy will transition from its downtown Decorah location to the WinnMed campus. Important points to support the transition are: Donlon Pharmacy's last day of operation is Monday, January 29, 2024. WinnMed Pharmacy will open February 1, 2024 on the WinnMed campus (901 Montgomery Street, Decorah). Upon Donlon's closing on Monday, January 29 at 6pm, any prescriptions not picked up at Donlon Pharmacy will be returned to stock and will not be available to refill until the reopening as WinnMed Pharmacy on Thursday, February 1 at 9am. All Donlon patients will automatically transition to WinnMed Pharmacy, unless the patient notifies the pharmacy of alternate preferences. All Donlon pharmacy staff are transitioning to WinnMed. Patients will see familiar faces in the new pharmacy and work with the same people they know and trust. WinnMed Pharmacy will participate in insurance networks that Donlon Pharmacy participates in, plus additional networks. Medication costs will be comparable or better than what patients are used to. Mark Branum, Pharm.D., BCGP, served as Pharmacist-in-Charge at Donlon Pharmacy and continues in that role at WinnMed Pharmacy. He says, "Our entire pharmacy staff is excited to be joining WinnMed and look forward to expanding our pharmacy services to help benefit members of our community. We are particularly happy to welcome patients from all providers and clinics as we accept nearly every insurance plan and will be a preferred provider in those networks." Steve Slessor, WinnMed Chief Administrative Officer, says, "We are thrilled to be able to continue the long-standing tradition of locally owned pharmacy services here at WinnMed. We have tremendous respect for Donlon Pharmacy, that team and the work it does for the community. To have that team joining us and to work with them to continue to enhance retail pharmacy offerings in this community is beyond exciting."