Patient Choice Award Winner 2024
2024
Winner of The Ozturk
Patient Choice Award:
Chris Mendoza
BIOGRAPHY
Chris was born in the Philippines and moved to Winnipeg with her parents in 1980 when she was 2 years old. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1999 and Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy Degree in 2004 both from the University of Manitoba.
Chris’ first pharmacy job was at the In-Patient Pharmacy at the Health Sciences Centre during her first year in pharmacy school. The next two summers were spent at the microbiology lab at the Rady Centre with Dr. George Zhanel. Her start in community pharmacy began as a third year pharmacy student at Shoppers Drug Mart in Tuxedo where she found her passion for helping and connecting with people. After graduating, Chris moved on to the Shoppers Drug Mart in St. Vital where she would spend 13 years developing her skills and expanding her knowledge by obtaining her Certified Diabetes Educator designation in 2008. She enjoyed the one on one patient interaction with patients but found that she wasn’t able to practice to her full capacity in this setting. In 2018 she decided to take the plunge and opened her own pharmacy, Prairie Health Apothecary, a part of an allied health centre with Purohit Nurse Practitioner Clinic. She was finally able to practice pharmacy as she had always envisioned; to provide personalized care in collaboration with other health professionals.
During the pandemic, the pharmacy became a central point for the community by providing crucial information to her patients about ever-changing guidelines from health officials. The pharmacy became a front line for dispelling disinformation and was often a place for patients to voice their fears and concerns in a safe environment. In the very early stages when N95 masks were scarce, Chris organized and assisted in the making of hundreds of fabric masks to distribute to community members free of charge. Once COVID-19 vaccines were available to administer in pharmacies, Chris was able to provide an environment that calmed even the most fearful and vaccine-hesitant of patients. Chris’ hours were extended well past her regular hours to accommodate the high demand for vaccines.
Chris values the power of connecting with her patients on a personal level. This is evident by the mountain of neglected filing still to be completed due to the amount of time she spends in in-depth conversations with her patients about not only their medical needs but every aspect of their lives. One of Chris’ favorite things to do for her patients (especially the elderly and isolated) is the inclusion of small personalized hand-written notes with their medication with the hopes of brightening their day. She understands the importance of seeing her patient as a person, not just a prescription.
Chris lives in Winnipeg with her husband, Steven, two kids, Emelia and Elliott, and their dog Frankie. When she is not in the pharmacy or attending her kids’ sporting events, Chris enjoys living an active lifestyle and likes to use the creative part of her brain whenever possible