A lot has changed since PANTHERx released our first public statement nearly a month ago and we have been incredibly busy staying ahead of the curve. In Pennsylvania (home to two of multiple licensed facilities), schools and businesses have been forced to close leaving many reacting and scrambling to survive. In PANTHERx’s case, we don’t have patrons, we have patients; we don’t have a business, we have a vital mission to serve those with rare and devastating disorders without interruption, without compromise. PANTHERx’s thousands and thousands of rare patients rely on us to deliver their life saving medications and the corresponding care and we will not disappoint.
When whisperings of the coronavirus extended beyond China and were forecast to the hit the US, PANTHERx’s emergency preparedness plan was activated. We took our patient responsibility seriously, and began to plan the specifics around COVID-19. As the planning unfolded into reality, it has made all the difference informing our patients proactively (before we received questions), establishing and enforcing staged safety protocols, expanding work from home policies and flexible hours for employees with children home from school, and communicating with our providers, partners, payers and suppliers in a timely manner so that they could focus on their contingency plans and not be concerned about PANTHERx. We have been reassured by our biopharma manufacturers that production and supplies of their breakthrough medications will not be an issue.
Due to the vital nature of our mission, PANTHERx is classified as “essential” and will remain open to service the patients that rely on the medications we dispense and the support services we provide. Thanks to our nimbleness, early planning, and dedicated associates PANTHERx is continuing to serve patients at the level that they have come to expect from our award-winning company. That’s not to say that operations appear “normal” in our facilities—many desks are empty as employees work from home. Once in the facility pharmacy workers adorn protective gloves and facemasks (from our original emergency preparedness plan), and cleaning solutions and hand sanitizer are everywhere for employees to disinfect work surfaces at minimum three times a day. PANTHERx’s flexibility and advanced technology has adapted to keep our associates safe as they service our patients. Advanced planning and committed employees have made a remarkable difference. We can confidently and calmly execute as One PANTHERx reacts to the evolving implications of COVID-19, armed with a comprehensive 5 Phase COVID-19 Plan that accounts for all anticipated scenarios. Now operating on Level 3, PANTHERx is prepared as the coronavirus pandemic develops and new rules/restrictions are put in place.
As the situation unfolds, PANTHERx remains diligent and continues to keep our patients and other constituents informed. You can read our up-to-the-minute plan for uninterrupted service by visiting our home page or by going directly to our COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Updates page.