Burlington Pharmacy Health Care was established in 1976 to provide integrated health care and wellness services. The staff can dispense prescriptions, counsel patients, deliver healthcare products, and provide home medical equipment. Since 1995, the pharmacy has been owned and operated by Steve Mueller. Mr. Mueller holds a BS in Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati.
Mr. Mueller recently addressed the Florence Rotary on the topic of policies and regulations in health care. He stated, “Thirty years ago, healthcare costs represented 9% of the United States GDP. Today, that number is over 17%.” In comparison, healthcare costs in the rest of the world total 6%, with Europe averaging 9- 10%.
As an example of huge expenses in health care, Mr. Mueller said, “Over 4 billion prescriptions were issued in the U.S. in 2010, but there are only 313,000 Americans living here.” Since the United States has a competitive health care market, meaning that companies can profit from their research and sales efforts, most prescribed drug usage and related costs are driven by insurance and pharmaceutical companies, not doctors or consumers.
Mr. Mueller explained that most individuals have no idea of the true cost of their prescription drugs, since they are only responsible for a small co-payment, with the majority of the cost borne through health insurance. This has encouraged consumers to visit a doctor or emergency room for every health concern instead of first practicing self treatment.
How can consumers take control of their own health care? Mr. Mueller advises taking better care of ourselves through diet and exercise, and reducing our reliance on medical intervention. He suggests doing your own medical research online before visiting a doctor for minor medical issues.
In conclusion, Mr. Mueller shared his goal for the Burlington Pharmacy, “We strive to help people be healthier any way we can.”
For information about weekly meetings, guest speakers and community service opportunities of the Florence Rotary Club, contact Brad Shipe, President, at bradshipe@hotmail.com or (859) 282-7040. Visit the group’s web site at www.florencerotary.org . Florence Rotary meets weekly on Mondays at noon at the Airport Hilton Hotel in Florence.
