A Pharmacy with a Mission: Legacy Pharmacy Supports Community Care

Legacy Pharmacy plays a crucial role in Legacy Community Health’s holistic approach to patient care. In addition to filling prescriptions, the pharmacy team makes sure patients receive personalized support and education. By working closely with medical providers, case managers, and behavioral health specialists, Legacy Pharmacy extends its reach beyond prescriptions, providing comprehensive care for patients of all backgrounds. It is deeply embedded within the community, bridging the gap between everyday health management and medical treatment.

Building Strong and Long-Term Relationships With Patients

One of the benefits of Legacy Pharmacy is the amount of time clinical pharmacists get to spend with patients. “The physicians have 15 minute appointment slots, whereas we have 30 minutes,” Neha shares. “The first visit is really getting to know the patient, understanding what their challenges are, their barriers are, if and what can we do to help with those barriers.”

She wants patients to realize that “we’re all on the same team to achieve those health goals so that they can live to see their grandchildren, play with their grandchildren, or whatever their health goal is. We have the time and the ability to listen to the patient and really go at their pace. And a lot of that is the conversations that we have in clinic, active listening, and motivational interviewing,” she adds.

The pharmacy is often the first place patients turn to when they need help. Beyond in-person visits, many patients seek guidance remotely. Kevin explains that Legacy Pharmacy gets over 500 phone calls every single day in all the pharmacy locations combined.

“Typically we get calls because they’re trying to really assess whether they need to go to the doctor or not. And often a call to the pharmacist is free, it’s accessible and easy to get to. And we have later hours typically and are open on weekends,” he notes. “The other question we typically get is about immunizations and whether they should get a COVID vaccine or a flu vaccine. And the other main question is, how do I take my medication?”

In addition to being a resource for health-related advice, Legacy Pharmacy prioritizes making healthcare more accessible for diverse communities. Every patient, regardless of background, receives the same level of attention and care. With over 50% of patients Spanish-speaking, Legacy Pharmacy often has employees who are bilingual in English and Spanish working the cash registers.

Additionally, Kevin explains, “All of us also have access to a language line, which is like a phone-based system where we’re able to connect our patients. We also have an iPad through which we can do a video conversation with someone with a different language, or even for those that want to use [American Sign Language]. And so those are typical methods of how we communicate. We have over 100 languages that we’re able to connect with.”

This commitment to accessibility not only improves individual patient experiences but also strengthens the overall well-being of the community. Neha knows that “when you’re not worried about your health… your bandwidth opens up to care about other things. And you can give back to your community. You can give back to your family, your children, your grandchildren.”

“My dream is that no one should have to think about their health if they are taking care of themselves in a preventative manner,” she shares. “ Let us take care of you so that way, you can take care of yourself and your family.”

Financial concerns can often be a barrier to accessing care, but Legacy Pharmacy is dedicated to ensuring that cost is not an obstacle. The pharmacy team works tirelessly to remove financial and logistical barriers that might otherwise prevent patients from obtaining essential medications. Legacy Community Health offers medication assistance programs to ensure no one is turned away due to financial hardship. The pharmacy team also helps with insurance navigation and prescription discounts.

“We have a department within pharmacy called Financial Services, and their whole goal is to ensure that patients are able to afford their medication copays regardless of high deductibles or high copays. Kevin explains. “Legacy also has a grant that helps pay for insurance premiums, specifically for patients on HIV treatment and prevention medications.”

The Future of Pharmacy at Legacy

Legacy Pharmacy continues to evolve, strengthening existing services and growing outreach to better serve the community. With a focus on education, prevention, and direct patient support, the pharmacy team is dedicated to improving health outcomes.

One development Kevin is particularly excited about is HIV injectables. Beyond the already-existing 2-month injectables, “there’s an every-six-month injection coming up to prevent HIV” that will likely be available later this year. “And I’m truly excited for that because that could be a game changer. And the initial study showed that, especially in women, it was 100% effective.”

“One thing I like about Legacy is that we are often pioneers in this regard. We try to do that because we care about our patients and we want them to get access to these treatments… as soon as they’re eligible,” he adds.

Beyond medication and preventive services, Legacy Pharmacy is also strengthening its role in supporting mental health. If a mental health concern arises during a consultation, pharmacists work closely with Behavioral Health to connect patients to necessary psychiatric and therapeutic resources. This integrated approach ensures that patients receive comprehensive care that addresses both physical and emotional well-being.

How to Connect with Legacy Pharmacy

Legacy Pharmacy plays a key role in community care. By integrating clinical pharmacists into healthcare teams, providing financial support, and prioritizing patient education, Legacy ensures better health outcomes for thousands of patients. Its work demonstrates the power of pharmacies in connecting individuals to the care they need beyond as long as they need it.

This level of accessibility ensures that patients receive the support they need without unnecessary financial burdens or barriers to care. As Neha points out, a “patient can see us as many times as needed to get them to their goal.” Additionally, “they don’t have to pay a copay to see us versus having to pay a copay to see their clinician.” Legacy Pharmacy clinicians even have their own dedicated phone number so that patients can call and get ahold of pharmacists directly. This is why, she says, “I feel that pharmacists are still the most accessible member of the healthcare team.

Anyone can be a Legacy Pharmacy patient, regardless of financial situation or insurance status. When patients with insurance come to Legacy, it helps Legacy Community Health continue to offer its services to everyone.

As Kevin explains, “One of the things that I let clients know is that as a nonprofit, one of the ways we’re able to survive and help the uninsured is when people with insurance use us.” That way, “we’re able to subsidize care for some of our uninsured folks.” He says that “for every two insured patients, we’re able to help five uninsured patients get access to their healthcare.”

To make these essential services even more accessible, Legacy Pharmacy provides multiple convenient locations across the greater Houston area:

Legacy Pharmacy – Lyons
Address: 3811 Lyons Ave., Houston, TX 77020
Text: (346) 251-8749
Call: (713) 366-7400

Legacy Pharmacy – Montrose
1415 California St., Houston, TX 77006
Text: (346) 251-8996
Call: (713) 665 8800

Legacy Pharmacy – Sharpstown
6441 High Star Dr., Ste. 100, Houston, TX 77074
Text: (832) 400-9305
Call: (713) 814-3499

About Legacy Community Health Services, Inc.

Legacy Community Health Services (Legacy) is a full-service network of over 60 community health centers offering primary and specialty care, and pharmacy services in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Legacy has been innovating how comprehensive, quality health care services are provided to underserved communities for over 40 years. As the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Texas, our services and programs are open to all, regardless of the ability to pay, without judgment or exception. Legacy has been a United Way affiliated agency since 1990. To learn more, visit www.legacycommunityhealth.org.