KELLOGG – Shoshone County has statistically and historically ranked poorly in overall health, but with more people like Tony Wright getting involved– that trend could change.

As of early Dec. 2018, Wright is the new owner/operator of the two Kohal Pharmacy locations in the Silver Valley. With these locations, he hopes to help the community by providing them with what they need to treat or prevent their various health issues.

“I want to do pharmacy different to where we take on a more of a proactive approach to their healthcare,” he said.

Wright, a southern Idaho native, graduated pharmacy school in 2009 and worked at the Walgreen’s pharmacy in Coeur d’Alene for the past 11 years. He explains that his decision to get into this career was motivated by his desire to help people.

“I always had a dream of being able to help people in the medical field,” he said. “Pharmacy seemed to be the right fit for me.”

Though he has no personal ties to the Silver Valley himself, his wife Dannielle Wright (formally Sevy) does, as she is originally from the Pinehurst area.

It was during trips to see his wife’s family that he was able to experience the area first hand. With these positive experiences and the proximity to his wife’s family in mind, Wright jumped at the chance to own his own pharmacy in the Silver Valley when the opportunity became available.

Already a month in, Wright is proud to be maintaining the same customer base and providing services that have always made Kohal’s Pharmacy stand out among others.

“We still continue with free delivery in the area,” he said. “I think thats a unique thing that sets us apart.”

Just because he is happy with how things are though doesn’t mean that there isn’t room for improvement.

Wright’s hopes for the not-so-distant future are to make his locations “compounding” pharmacies and to make them diabetes centers.

Compounding pharmacies have the ability to get medications tailored to their patients, not just offer what is commercially available. If this was accomplished, Kohal Pharmacy would be the only one in the area with this title.

“My ultimate goal is to always be independent. Give a little better patient care and get to know the patients more,” he said.

If you are an established patient of Kohal Pharmacy and have received a letter from your insurance company, the staff asks that you contact the pharmacy for more information.

The Kellogg location is at 740 McKinley Ave. and can be reached at 208-786-9303.

The Pinehurst location is at 504 N. Division and can be reached at 208-682-3920.