Family-owned business provides cutting-edge services at 14 Missouri sites, helping to close rural health care gap
With five family members spread over two generations as UMKC alumni, and a family business providing a variety of services helping to close the rural health care gap in Northwest Missouri, the Hartwig family has produced an impressive record of service to college and community.
That record has earned the family the 2012 Legacy Award from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. The Legacy Award recognizes a family with a tradition of attending UMKC and who have a record of service to the University, their community or profession.
Over two generations, the Hartwig family has built a network of pharmacies providing an array of health care services in communities throughout Northwest Missouri. At the same time, the family has been lending support and advocacy to UMKC. Hartwig family members train UMKC students at their Red Cross Pharmacy and have established a scholarship for deserving pharmacy students.
The Hartwigs have a long history of civic and community involvement. B. David Hartwig served as Mayor of Marshall, Mo. From 1975-79; is a past president of the Missouri Pharmacy Association; and is a member of the UMKC Alumni Governing Board. Steven E. Hartwig is a member of the UMKC School of Pharmacy Dean’s Advisory Council and is a former president of the Marshall YMCA Board of directors. D. Matthew Hartwig is President of the Excelsior Springs, Mo. Chamber of Commerce, the UMKC Pharmacy Foundation and the Pharmacy Foundation of the Missouri Pharmacy Association. All three are UMKC alumni, as are David’s father-in-law, William Tempel, and David’s wife, Lisa Hartwig.
Last year, Red Cross Pharmacy and UMKC teamed up to earn one of the three inaugural Community Pharmacy Residency Expansion Project (Community PREP) grants from the National Association of Chain Drug Stores. The program is designed to expand community pharmacy residency programs for recent pharmacy school graduates.
Small town pharmacists help fill a rural health care gap driven by multiple factors including poverty, high levels of uninsured and underinsured residents, long distances from medical facilities, and declining numbers of physicians. The Hartwigs Red Cross Pharmacies offer immunizations, diagnostic medical testing and Medication Therapy Management, one-on-one counseling with a pharmacist designed to help patients understand their medications, take them properly, ensure greater compliance with prescriptions and reduce health care costs.
UMKC will honor its outstanding alumni for 2011-12 at a luncheon event on April 26 at the Westin Crown Center Hotel. UMKC’s Alumni Association will highlight the recipients’ stories and accomplishments at the luncheon as well as through speeches, presentations and classroom visits where they will share their experiences with students.
About the University of Missouri-Kansas City
The University of Missouri-Kansas City, one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.