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Sara Hicks
Lewis Drug
2701 S. Minnesota Ave.
Sioux Falls, S.D. 57105
lewisdrug.com
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Lewis Drug immunization coordinator Sara Hicks says she is very fortunate that her position is tailored to let her focus solely on vaccinations, vaccine education and patient interaction.
She has the ability to go on site to a number of local businesses, independent living centers, and other facilities to immunize patients. “It is very fulfilling to help individuals get vaccinated and updated on vaccinations they may or may not be aware they are needing,” she says.
Hicks has had “great community partnerships” in many of the retailer’s service areas that have given her and other Lewis pharmacists access to patients to help educate them and get vaccines they sometimes didn’t know they were missing.
She also works closely with Immunize SD, South Dakota’s vaccine coalition, to try to target areas that may need extra attention. She recently received the 2024 Immunization Champion Award for South Dakota. She says she tries to focus on vaccine “catch-up” for individuals, “and they are so appreciative of having the opportunity to receive their vaccination.”
“I believe education is very important to help inform my patients what they may be missing, why they should receive the vaccine and how they can receive it,” she adds. Cost plays a big role for many vaccinations, and Lewis has seen increased interest in vaccines from people with Medicare Part D after the Inflation Reduction Act’s vaccine cost cuts for beneficiaries.
Asked for her favorite part of the job, Hicks says, “It’s the ability to work with all different types of patients and in different patient settings as well as pharmacy staff across Lewis Drug.”
With other family members who are pharmacists, a profession behind the prescription counter was something Hicks first considered during high school. She initially attended college as a business major, but after receiving her MBA she chose to return to school for pharmacy.
