Top 50 Fastest Growing Companies 2003: Continuing Care Rx Inc.

Improving service for a niche market has been a successful strategy for Continuing Care Rx Inc. By focusing on supplying pharmaceuticals only to long-term care facilities, the company has grown from $19.5 million in revenue for 2000 to $33.6 million in 2002.

President Thomas Trite has been involved

Most nursing homes, such as Hamilton Arms Center in Lancaster County, ManorCare Health Services, which operates throughout Central Pennsylvania, and Country Meadows, which has facilities in the York and Harrisburg areas, are considered long-term care providers."

"We needed to promise exceptional service in all phases of working with a facility and follow through," Trite said. "The specialization we offer our customers is due to our well-trained and exceptional employees."

Trite said that in this highly regulated industry, Continuing Care cannot perform any more services other than those legally allowed. The difference then is in how the company performs its work, he said, which is directly related to its employees.

Trite believes the company delivers on its promises. How does he know?

"We still have our first customer," he said, although he didn't want to use their name. "Clients tell us they're impressed with our staff's follow-through and with the quality of the entire working relationship."

Although Continuing Care Rx Inc. employees generally do not work directly with patients at the facilities, they keep the end client in mind, Trite said.

"Our focus is on the resident, not just on the facility as a customer," Trite said. "We make sure we provide the right medication to the right patient at the right time. The volume of work that goes into being successful at that would surprise people."

Each long-term care facility receives the services of a pharmacist manager, a consulting pharmacist and coordinators for records management. Other company staff, such as a nurse educator, can provide training and participate as an adjunct to facility committees and on various health-related and quality initiatives. Once or twice a month, pharmacy consultants visit each facility to monitor the success of various drug therapies for all patients and work closely with the medical staff at that facility.

Trite said he sees the company as a partner with the long-term care facility in the care of residents.

Randy Sheaffer, administrator of Valley View Retirement Community, said, "They not only provide dependable, exceptional products and services, but even their delivery people are outstanding. When dropping off the medications every night, drivers must wait for our staff to check the delivery. While waiting, delivery people make it a point to be friendly to the residents."

Continuing Care Rx Inc. provides pharmacy services in Pennsylvania, Maryland and New York.