Standardization was the key. With the full support of physicians, psychiatrists and nurses across the region, he put together a regional drug formulary. To set up a mechanism for internal communications, he marshalled peer support to form the Regional Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. The information is then sent electronically to the pharmacy and the orders are sent back to the institution in daily CSC deliveries. With systems in place, Wong next turned to his customers.
Inmates can be very erratic and intimidating.
He has a condition, and that's what I am there for. He cites the example of a patient who wanted to buy a deodorant. Wong had to call the manufacturer to find out the product's alcohol content, and if and how the alcohol could be extracted. Dispensing in a prison requires a whole different mind set, according to Wong. Extracted alcohol may be consumed directly, or mixed with kitchen scraps to make a cell brew.