Morton Pharmacy Installs AEDs at All Locations
(Neenah, Wis.) – Morton Pharmacy recently completed the installation of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) at 11 of its Fox Valley locations, including Morton Safety and the corporate offices in Neenah. AED devices are used to help restore a normal heart rhythm to a person who is suffering from sudden cardiac arrest, or heart attack. An AED analyzes the heart's rhythm for any abnormalities and, if necessary, directs the rescuer to deliver an electrical shock to the victim. This shock, called defibrillation, may help the heart to reestablish an effective rhythm of its own. According to Steve Morton, CPA and president of Morton Pharmacy, the company invested approximately $20,000 in AED equipment and training to implement this safety program.
Kurt Holm, RPh, and the Morton director of pharmacy, explained that the equipment and accompanying staff training fits with Morton Pharmacy’s mission. “We have always said we are a health care provider. This ties in with that. The AEDs are easy to use so we can focus on the patient if such an emergency ever arises in one of our pharmacies.”
Vicki Mader is the manager of service and training at Morton Safety, and she helped choose the specific AED equipment for the store locations and has trained nearly 60 Morton employees on its use, including all pharmacists. In keeping with Wisconsin’s Good Samaritan law, an AED can only be installed after personnel have been properly trained, a package of equipment and service that Morton Safety regularly offers to private and industry users alike. “We did it because it’s proactive. We want to be ready in case someone needs our help,” Mader said.
For the Editor:
Charles Morton opened the doors to the first Morton Pharmacy in downtown Neenah in 1932 with a $600 investment. That first storefront shop has since has grown to 11 retail pharmacies throughout the Fox Valley and Oshkosh regions. The newest retail pharmacy opened in Greenville in September 2006. A closed-shop pharmacy is entirely dedicated to serving the needs of 2500 patients in long-term care facilities. Morton offers its customers several distinctive personal services, including prescription bubble packaging, home delivery, prescription flavoring and specialized prescription compounding. In 2006, Morton Pharmacy generated more than $40 million in sales and presently employs 160 team members. The company will celebrate and commemorate its 75th year in business in 2007. More information is available online at www.mortonpharmacy.com.
