Omar Eliwa, pharmacist and owner of Welltopia, says he and his team take pride in offering superior customer service that goes above chain pharmacies. “Not every person is alike,” explains Eliwa. “Compounding is personalized medicine.”

A dose that works for one person might not work for another. For people with allergies, or those that wish to avoid drugs with artificial fillers or dyes, compounding allows a pharmacist to remove substances a customer doesn’t want and replace them with more natural alternatives.

Compounding can also be used to change the delivery method of pharmaceuticals from pill form to capsule, topical cream, gummy or liquid form—whichever delivery method the patient finds easiest. This can help children, pets and people that have difficulty swallowing pills.

Since opening Welltopia Pharmacy in 2017, Eliwa has created a welcoming ambiance from the moment a customer walks through the door. Calming music is heard throughout store. Customers are greeted by friendly staff behind the counter.

Eliwa studied pharmaceutical sciences at Cairo University and worked for a decade at independent local pharmacies before creating Welltopia Pharmacy. Welltopia is licensed in Wisconsin, Illinois, Florida and Arizona, and is accredited through the Pharmacy Compounding Accreditation Board (PCAB). The PCAB accreditation ensures that pharmacists on the Welltopia team are specially trained in compounding.

These tools provide Eliwa with the knowledge to work with providers to offer the best care for patients. Through pharmacist consultations—which can be made by appointment via phone or online—Eliwa and his staff work with clients to decipher health concerns and to create a customized plan of achievable goals through medication, supplements, lifestyle changes, better sleep and stress reduction.

“We focus on the whole human being and provide the tools, as pharmacists, to help each person make approachable changes,” Eliwa says. Healthcare plans are designed for clients’ needs and budgets. Pharmacist consultation topics include male and female hormone health, chronic pain, weight management and general health coaching.

Eliwa also works directly with providers through phone and email correspondence to help build a healthcare team for each client. “I focus on evidence-based care. I’m not a prescriber, but I work with prescribers to fill this important gap of care. We want to all work together to make sure that the patient is getting better, and is getting the care that they deserve.”

Welltopia Pharmacy has its own line of supplements, and Eliwa works directly with supplement companies to source quality ingredients. The pharmacy also offers vaccine appointments, COVID-19 testing and free shipping for prescriptions. Through the points reward system, customers receive a point for every dollar spent and can redeem points for discounts. Customers can request refills through a mobile app, and regular blog posts on the website provide information about a range of health topics.

“We want to provide another layer of support and compassion,” Eliwa concludes. “I don’t necessarily want to grow the number of pharmacies that I have, but rather the number of patients that I can serve. We want to evolve as a wellness icon and a resource for trusted health information.”