Welcome to Stafford Pharmacy & Home Healthcare

What do you know about:

Where to find the information you need

Introducing Stafford Pharmacy & Home Healthcare

You're right, who needs another drugstore website. We have enough of them cluttering up the web already, selling everything from Apple Cider Shampoo to Viagra! By the way, I hate the term "Drugstore". I think we have evolved past the drugstore. Pharmacy, so much better describes what we are. Why? Because we are pharmacists - not druggists - so the term Pharmacy much better describes where we work. So much for terminology.

So, what's so special about this one? Well, it's ours, so it makes sense that we have a certain attachment to this site. Most importantly, for you the visitor, is that we are trying to offer you something that we think will prove to be invaluable - OUR KNOWLEDGE, OUR EXPERIENCE - OUR COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE!

Sure, we are not a large company with locations on every corner of the continent, but with the unique mix of products and services that we provide every day here on the corner of Stafford Drive and St. Edward Blvd., we know a little bit about which we speak. So, why shouldn't you, visiting from Allentown, Pa. or Shawinigan, Que. or even in neighbouring Coalhurst, Alberta., have the benefit of our knowledge?

We take the business of pharmacy serious and we think it shows. We also subscribe to the philosophy that pharmacists are the "medication experts" so we expect our patients to depend on us for this information. Since 1985 people have made us "their pharmacy" and we "their pharmacist". People come to us for our knowledge and expect that we will use this knowledge wisely, to ensure that they get the best results from their medications when necessary and yes, even how avoid the need for drug therapy when it makes sense.

Oh, and we know a little about other medicinal products as well. So, if you are looking for a remedy that might complement a traditional therapy, or maybe an alternative to allopathic medicines (that refers to drugs), we can help you too. What you will find different however, is that being trained as medical scientists, we give you information that is sound, not just hearsay. Sure we encourage people to use homeopathic remedies and plant based medicines and vitamins when it is appropriate. But we will also tell you when it is wiser to follow a drug therapy or to consult with your physician or dentist or other healthcare provider. So, expect us to give you the scoop on what is current and if we don't know the answer, we will find the answer for you. Because there is far too much information out there to suggest that any one human being can have it all at the tip of their fingertips. That said, the problem is often not what information can we find, but what information is creditable, accurate, relevant and current. When answering questions posed, those are certainly some of the criteria we will use to provide answers that can be accepted with confidence.

So, welcome to our site. Please browse and tell us what you think, what we didn't do quite right, what you want to see, what you would like to know and of course, what you like about us too. Send us your e-mails, please. We ask that you don't call us with your questions, because we are busy people just like you and since there are only a few of us in store at any time, if we are busy answering the phone, it means we can't help those people patiently waiting for us in the store. E-mail is great, because you can ask us your questions when it is convenient for you and we can give you our best answer when we have time through the day.

Store Hours

Monday to Friday 9:00am to 6:00pm

Saturdays 10:00am to 6:00pm

Sundays & Holidays CLOSED

Rocky Mountain Analytical
www.rmalab.com
Calgary based diagnostics lab that performs saliva testing for hormone analysis. The lab, Canada's first diagnostic facility to introduce saliva analysis, the preferred method for steroid hormone measurement. Saliva contains that "free, unbound" portion of hormones such as progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, cortisol and more. As a result of over a million tests done in both Canada and the United States, there is a proven correlation between saliva levels and actual physiologic levels of hormone.

The lab is headed by Dr. George Gillson M.D., PhD., who is the CEO and medical director of the lab. Results are available within 10 to 14 days with interpretation and comments by Dr. Gillson himself.
The test kits for the lab can be purchased at Stafford Pharmacy & Home Healthcare.

Women's Health Initiative www.nhlbi.nih.gov/whi/

You've heard about the study and maybe want the opportunity to review the study, the results and the conclusions yourself. Here is the study website, so you can see for yourself just what has been causing such controversy. Make your own conclusions based on the evidence provided as well as follow the remaining portions of the study that have been continued despite the shocking results of the initial phase.

The Linus Pauling Institute http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/

There are few people alive today who have not heard about Linus Pauling, his pioneering research and his outspoken positions on nutritional supplementation for the promotion of health and the treatment of disease. In particular, Linus Pauling was the first to establish the role of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) and to encourage supplementation with doses far beyond the recommended daily allowances.

This site continues the good work that he started with continued research into the role of micronutrients and phytochemicals in promoting optimal health as well as the treatment of disease. Although a lot of the site is very technical and therefore more useful to medical professionals, it is still worth a visit just to see the direction that their research is taking.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are hundreds of questions that we receive and answer each week. They relate to general health problems, prescription medications, non-prescription medications and the problems that are related to them. To give you the benefit of our answers, we have opened a new page that lists those questions and answers. We will continue to add new questions and answers each month, so bookmark the page and visit often.

Recommended Calcium intake for women:
1200mg to 1500mg per day
(based on elemental calcium content)

			Your Health...Your Medications... Talk to Your Pharmacist! If you're like millions of Canadians who've had a prescription filled this year, you've seen first hand just one of the many services your pharmacist provides. Your pharmacist can do much more for you than you've come to expect. As the most accessible health care provider in the community, your pharmacist is often your first point of contact with the health care system and is an excellent source of information. In addition to advice and information about the best way to take your medicine, your pharmacist can help you with a variety of other health concerns, including help with conditions such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. He or she can provide sound, up-to-date advice on staying well and preventing disease. Your pharmacist can also help with lifestyle changes...for example, how to quit smoking. Pharmacists work in many settings: in the community pharmacy, in hospitals, nursing homes, at the outpatient clinic or even online. The Canadian Pharmacists Association reminds you that whenever you have questions about your medication or need help with your health care, talk to your pharmacist. Talk to your pharmacist ...about taking your medications properly The benefits of working with your pharmacist are far-reaching. An increasing number of Canadians are taking medication to control one or more chronic conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma. Taking your medications properly allows these conditions to be managed, helping you feel better and minimizing long-term complications. Your pharmacist can also help you avoid or solve side effects from your medications. New and advanced medications are becoming available every day. More medications are becoming available over the counter without the need for a prescription. When it comes to taking medicine properly and safely, the right information is essential for your good health. The Canadian Pharmacists Association reminds you to talk to your pharmacist. Looking for valuable family health resources? Check out the Canadian Pharmacists Association web resources for consumers. Just click here. You can also visit our provincial organizations: Alberta Pharmacists Association (RxA) Alberta College of Pharmacists (ACP)		Sun Smart Information The month of May brings with it longer, warmer days which also means much larger amounts of Ultraviolet Radiation exposure with each trip outdoors. Sunburn means your skin has been over exposed to UV radiation. The key to prevention is to reduce exposure during the high UV times of the day as well as keeping covered and using a good sunscreen product. Read more...
					Information Page Pharmaceutical Companies If you are looking for information related to a specific drug manufacturer, here is list of the major pharmaceutical companies' websites. Many are excellent jumping points to drug information, therapeutics, disease information and research. Bookmark the page for future reference.

					Pharmacy Practice Research Project (PPMI) (www.medicationmanagement.ca) Since April of this year, we have been participating in a research project that is focused on how the community pharmacist, the new legislated authorities, the opportunities to intervene on behalf of the patient in a meaningful way. It's called the Pharmacist Practice Model Initiative (PPMI), and runs for approximately one year. Pharmacists had to apply to be involved in the project, and only about 130 pharmacists are participating province-wide. The project looks at the pharmacist-patient interaction, as it is focused on making medication therapy more effective and with less side effects. Therefore it encompasses the full spectrum of interventions; all types of medications; every disease state; all types of drug regimens. The common element is that the pharmacist is allowed to intervene on behalf of the patient, to do whatever is needed to improve the patient's health outcomes. As this project demonstrates alternative models for Pharmacy Practice it will also investigate other business models that can be applied to pharmacy. Currently, the business model requires that a drug be dispensed or in some way, a dispensing transaction initiates payment for the pharmacy. The PPMI project will look at payment models that are service focused and not product focused.

Sun Smart Information