Traverse Health Clinic opens new on-site pharmacy in Traverse City

Traverse Health Clinic cut the ribbon Monday on the Edson Family Pharmacy at 1719 South Garfield Avenue in Traverse City, adding an on-site place for patients to pick up prescriptions before they leave the clinic. The pharmacy is scheduled to officially open July 2 and will serve the clinic’s in-house patients as well as other residents in the area.

For patients, the change is practical as much as it is symbolic. A pharmacy inside the same building can shorten the gap between a doctor’s appointment and starting a prescribed medication, reduce another drive across town and make pickup easier for people who have transportation problems, tight schedules or limited money for extra errands. Traverse Health Clinic says the addition fits its care model, which already includes support services and care coordination.

The project was made possible by a philanthropic gift from Dan and Marsha Edson, longtime supporters of the clinic. Dan Edson’s ties to the organization run deep: a 2019 Northwestern Michigan College profile said he served as chairman of the Traverse Health Clinic board for 16 years. That history gives the family’s donation added weight inside an institution that has spent years building its identity around community-based care.

Traverse Health Clinic describes itself as a nonprofit community health center with a mission to provide high-quality, team-driven primary care, behavioral health and support services to everyone in the community. The clinic says new patients are always welcome, and it receives HHS funding with Federal Public Health Service deemed status. It also says it serves patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, with discounts available based on family size and income.

The new pharmacy strengthens that model by keeping more of the visit, the prescription and the follow-up in one place. Traverse Connect said the project is intended to improve access to affordable, convenient and coordinated care and supports the clinic’s long-term sustainability as a Federally Qualified Health Center. In Grand Traverse County, where a simple medication pickup can still mean another trip, another wait and another cost, the new pharmacy puts the next step of care closer to where patients already are.