‘Middleman’ of the pharmacy: Runners provide critical link between patients, pharmacy Published March 25, 2021 By Airman 1st Class Cydney Lee 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way daily activities such as eating at restaurants, traveling and even attending school are accomplished. The 436th Medical Group pharmacy has also altered the way it conducts business due to the global health concerns. Prior to the pandemic, patients at the 436th MDG could simply walk into the facility and grab their prescriptions after a short wait. With the ever-growing need to ensure patient and worker safety, the pharmacy innovated the Park N’ Pickup system to deliver prescriptions to patients. The final step in this process involves Airmen, performing as runners, who provide the only face-to-face customer service as they deliver medications directly to patients in the 436th MDG parking lot. “The pharmacy itself operates with the use of runners and volunteers to deliver medications, which is a critical part of the process,” said Capt. Cody Morcom, 436th Medical Support Squadron staff pharmacist. “If we didn't have those runners, it would be detrimental to our workflow.” The entire process starts with patients activating their prescriptions at the pharmacy over the phone or online. Technicians fill the prescriptions, which are then delivered by the runners. Airmen assigned to the pharmacy make up a large portion of the runners delivering medications, with the rest consisting of volunteers. “A runner is the middleman between the pharmacy and the patient,” said Airman 1st Class Mercedes Acevedo, 436th MDSS pharmacy technician and Park ‘N Pickup runner. “We run the prescriptions out to patients and [relay] any information the pharmacy needs them to know.” Delivering prescriptions to patients may seem like a simple job, but the sheer number of patients requesting medications can make the task quite demanding. Runners are constantly on the move, delivering medications from 7:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, rain or shine. Airman 1st Class Nicholas Laurent, 9th Airlift Squadron loadmaster and Park ‘N Pickup volunteer runner, said he walks upwards of 12 miles a day delivering prescriptions. The volunteers and staff who deliver prescriptions also play a vital role in limiting contact between workers and patients. On any given day, the pharmacy fills up to 1,000 prescriptions. Utilizing runners eliminates approximately 300 customers in the pharmacy waiting area each day. “[The runners] really put in a lot of work day in and day out. It's a challenging and sometimes thankless job,” said Morcom. “We're indebted to our volunteers and very thankful to have them.” For more information about the new Park N’ Pickup system, click here.