The first Vivo Health Pharmacy was established in 2009 at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, New York. That's where we began to establish our model, focusing heavily on the patient experience and opening up stronger lines of communication with clinicians.
Three years later, we began to see another need.
Across the street, at North Shore's infectious disease clinic, patients with HIV were facing challenges — with transportation, with paying for medication, with getting the treatments they needed.
So, in 2012, a clinical pharmacist was placed there. That pharmacist became part of the patient care team, helping patients overcome some of the barriers that were keeping them from getting their medications in a timely manner. To address affordability issues, we worked to find solutions like government subsidies. To address transportation issues, we set up free delivery.
Our first specialty pharmacy would come three years after that, in 2015, with the opening of Vivo Health Pharmacy at the Center for Advanced Medicine in New Hyde Park, New York. There, we began working closely with providers and patients at the Monter Cancer Center, seeking to identify gaps in care. Our proximity, under the same roof, allowed us to become a true partner for patients, helping them navigate questions about side effects, insurance, payment options, and more.
In the years since, we've continued to grow — we're now in 11 locations and counting — but the mission and the model have stayed the same. Vivo Health Pharmacy strives to provide a personalized pharmacy experience and the highest level of patient care by:
We're clinically minded, with a high level of service, and we'll do anything possible to make sure you get the medications that you need in order to feel better or to maintain your quality of life.
Onisis Stefas, Chief Executive Officer, Vivo Health Pharmacy
Our first locations were in hospitals and other outpatient ambulatory facilities across New York, because we understood that one of the most vulnerable times for a patient is when they're just leaving their doctor's care. We wanted to make sure that patients had their medications in hand when they walked out the door, so they could just go home and focus on their treatment.
At Vivo Health Pharmacy, we remain committed to identifying and addressing those gaps in care. We remain committed to you, our patients — providing medications, providing answers, and providing a partner on the journey to a healthier tomorrow.
