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Issa Kahlil
Publix
13900 Narcoossee Road
Orlando, Fla. 32832
https://www.publix.com/
ORLANDO, Fla. — Issa Kahlil was inspired to enter the pharmacy field by his youthful visits to the Publix supermarket where his father worked as a pharmacist and by watching his father’s interactions with his patients. Now a pharmacy manager at store 1430 in Orlando, Kahlil began his journey as a front-service clerk in 2011, but he soon moved into the pharmacy as a technician.
“Among all my interactions with patients in different sectors of medicine, I imagined myself being a pharmacist the most,” he says. “While a doctor might see their patients once every couple of months, a pharmacist often sees their patients on a much more frequent basis. The ability to build strong relationships with patients and gain their trust is what inspired me to take this path. I wanted the ability to be accessible and provide care for as many patients as possible.”
After completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Central Florida, Kahlil graduated from the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and completed his internship at Publix in 2019. He then had the opportunity to serve different communities in Florida, including Orange and Osceola counties.
Store 1430, situated in the Lake Nona region of Orlando, is surrounded by schools and rapidly growing neighborhoods occupied mainly by younger families. The prevalence of respiratory ailments is unusually high, but it peaks between October and April.
“Each year at our pharmacy we develop a robust plan to share information with our customers, reminding them that Publix Pharmacy offers vaccination against airborne illnesses such as Influenza A & B and RSV,” Kahlil explains. “We try to solidify our preventative approach to respiratory illnesses, and we put a lot of emphasis on accessibility, efficiency and safety.”
For example, a pharmacist is available for counseling and recommendations on over-the-counter medications as well as troubleshooting any issues that could affect care. A high standard of efficiency is set by following proper procedures, processing scripts in a timely manner, maintaining adequate staffing and prioritizing acute medications.
“Safety is our top priority, and our team works hard to minimize wait times for acute meds,” Kahlil says. “Prescriptions, no matter the hour or the volume, are reviewed for accuracy, interactions, dosage and appropriateness.”
Publix Pharmacy services are tailored to all customers, ranging from vaccinations to medication therapy management (MTM), Kahlil points out. He adds that patients continue to be surprised by the pharmacy’s immunization capabilities, but what is perhaps most appreciated is a medication review through MTM of the appropriateness and dosing of patients’ scripts. He and his pharmacists use different MTM platforms to better support their patients and improve their adherence. In addition, they employ several tools and programs that recommend vaccines a patient may be eligible to receive.
“When we do that, our patients often feel that we bridge the gap between them and their clinicians,” he says. “In addition, our team has exceeded expectations by visiting assisted living facilities, setting up vaccine clinics, and ensuring that our patients do not have any obstacles keeping them from getting their current shot records and receiving their recommended vaccines.”
Kahlil entered the pharmacy field for its strong social interaction component, and he says people — not just patients, but the pharmacy team members as well — are the best part of his job. He strives to build strong and cohesive teams that understand their roles and can be resilient in challenging times. Patients receive the best service and care, he notes, when they have passionate health care professionals serving them who are ready to go the extra mile to achieve positive health outcomes. An example was a longtime senior patient who one day called the pharmacy to report that their rescue inhaler for COPD was malfunctioning.
“Unfortunately they did not have transportation,” he recalls. “But knowing that we could help prevent the exacerbation of symptoms by processing an emergency script delivery, we did not think twice: In less than an hour, their refill was prepared and delivered by our pharmacy team.”
Kahlil pays tribute to the several mentors who have changed his views and shaped his approach to pharmacy. He has learned the value of addressing issues with patience and consideration, as well as recognizing accomplishments of others.
“I learned very early on that pharmacy team culture and morale greatly impact patient care,” he recalls. “I also learned the importance of optimizing care and never leaving the patient without an answer. 0Pharmacists carry vast knowledge across multiple subjects, and we are the most resourceful health care professionals, with the tools and expertise to empower patients to make informed decisions about their health.”
