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February 28, 2013
Anne Kennedy, Pharmacist
A new but familiar face is filling prescriptions behind the counter at Texas County Memorial Hospital’s Hutcheson Pharmacy in Houston. Anne Kennedy has assumed the role of pharmacist following the retirement of pharmacist, Steve Hutcheson.
Kennedy may be a familiar face to many people in Houston and Texas County because she joined the hospital pharmacy after five years of employment at the Walmart Pharmacy in Houston.
“I have always worked in retail pharmacies,” Kennedy explained. In addition to Walmart Pharmacy, Kennedy has been employed by two independent retail pharmacies in the area. Kennedy and her family have lived in Mountain Grove since 1999.
Kennedy grew up in Saint Charles, MO, and she remembers being drawn to healthcare at a young age.
“I planned to go to nursing school, but at the age of 16 I was able to work in a hospital pharmacy in Saint Charles,” Kennedy said.
Her experience as 16-year old set Kennedy on the path to pharmacy school, and she never looked back. A few years later, Kennedy graduated from Saint Louis University School of Pharmacology.
Although Kennedy’s first job was in a hospital pharmacy, she has worked in retail pharmacies during her professional career. Most pharmacists spend their careers in retail or hospital settings, and TCMH officials faced a challenge in finding a retail pharmacist to fill the position at TCMH Hutcheson Phamarcy.
“We are very fortunate to bring Anne Kennedy to our pharmacist position at Hutcheson Pharmacy,” Wes Murray, chief executive officer at TCMH, said.
When Kennedy heard that TCMH was looking for a retail pharmacist she thought, “I was interested. Hutcheson Pharmacy seemed like a perfect place for me.”
Murray described Kennedy as a “great fit” for Texas County and Hutcheson Pharmacy patients.
“Anne also brings a great breadth of retail knowledge with her to our new pharmacy,” Murray said.
Even with her years as a pharmacist and experience in retail pharmacy, Kennedy admits to a “learning curve” in her new location. She credited Steve Hutcheson and the pharmacy techs in providing “great help” in her new role.
“This is a very busy pharmacy,” Kennedy said. She explained that while TCMH Hutcheson Pharmacy is busy, it’s also “quieter” without the hustle and bustle of other types of retail operations going on around the pharmacy.
“I like it a lot,” Kennedy said about her new role with TCMH.
Kennedy is married. She and her husband, Bobby, have four children, and only one of them is still living at home. They also have two grandchildren.
Kennedy’s position with TCMH allows her the opportunity to go home shortly after the pharmacy closes and to spend weekends with her family, a schedule that’s not always possible with some retail pharmacy positions.
“Now that most of our kids are grown, we have more time at home to pursue our personal interests,” Kennedy said.
The Kennedy’s have an RV and they enjoy traveling and cooking.
TCMH Hutcheson Pharmacy is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.