North Mississippi Primary Health Care (NMPHC) has acquired Ashland Drugs, the community pharmacy in Ashland, and will reopen it under a new name: NMPHCRx. The Benton County health center announced the purchase Tuesday, Oct. 20. It said the pharmacy must close for a few days during the changeover and should reopen no later than Monday, Oct. 26.
The announcement came in a public notice posted on the NMPHC website and social media. NMPHC said the purchase followed “months of planning and legal groundwork.” With the deal closed, the transition has begun, and NMPHC is now taking over day-to-day operation of the pharmacy.
Ashland Drugs closed briefly for the NMPHCRx transition
The notice told customers the closure could not be avoided. NMPHC acknowledged how much the pharmacy matters in Ashland, calling the town “our hometown,” and said staff were working to keep the downtime as short as possible.
What changed: Ashland Drugs is now owned by North Mississippi Primary Health Care, Inc.
New name: NMPHCRx
Temporary closure: The pharmacy is closed for a few days during the transition.
Expected reopening: No later than Monday, Oct. 26, and sooner if possible, according to NMPHC.
NMPHC asked customers to be patient during the closure. It said that once the pharmacy reopens, they can expect the dependable service they are used to from both Ashland Drugs and NMPHC. Patients with prescriptions due this week may want to call ahead or ask their provider about short-term options until NMPHCRx opens.
Who is leading the new pharmacy
Three NMPHC leaders signed the notice:
Bill Stone, chief executive officer
Kenny Schmitz, RPh, director of pharmacy services
Jessica Shoup, PharmD, community pharmacy manager
The letterhead lists “NMPHC Pharmacy” among the organization’s locations, alongside its clinics across North Mississippi.
NMPHC’s growing footprint in Benton and Tippah counties
NMPHC is based in Ashland. Its local sites include Benton Medical Center, Ripley Health Care Associates, and Walnut Medical Center, along with clinics in Booneville, Corinth, New Albany, Holly Springs, Oxford, and Tishomingo. The health center already had a long-standing link to the pharmacy. Federal 340B program records list Ashland Discount Drug as a contract pharmacy for NMPHC’s Benton Medical Center since 2006.
The purchase is the latest step in a busy year for the organization in Ashland. In February, NMPHC began a major expansion on its 25-acre Ashland campus, and in September it shared progress photos of a new administration addition there. The health center also runs food pantry distributions in Benton and Tippah counties. It says the next Benton County pantry is set for Nov. 3.
For updates on when NMPHCRx reopens, customers can watch NMPHC’s website and Facebook page or call the Ashland office.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
