1811 Old Highway 8 North West Ste C, New Brighton, MN 55112
For more information about senior living options: (866) 208-4318
Overall Review of Merwin IV & Specialty Pharmacy
Pros
They loved it; it is a very beautiful place.- The animals were very nice.
- The LTC pharmacy is competent and customer friendly.
- They are serving with integrity.
- It was good.
Cons
The animals were a little lazy. - It was described as the worst pharmacy ever.
- They have to call 2-4 times and wait 1-2 hours for simple issues to be resolved in the med dispensing system.
- They pay delivery drivers like a third-world country.
- Every aspect of the experience has been a string of failures, even though staff were apologetic.
- They had to wait 12 hours for painkillers after major surgery.
- It took three days to get a refill, with no communication and broken promises.
- Quitting cold turkey with the meds is dangerous.
Review
Merwin IV & Specialty Pharmacy in New Brighton, MN is best suited for seniors who want a calm, courtyard-focused rehab or long-term care environment and rely on an in-house specialty pharmacy to stay coordinated with ongoing therapies. Families that prize a visually engaging campus, clean interiors, and a care team that can fold medication management into daily routines will find the setting appealing. The facility’s identity as a dedicated LTC pharmacy within the care ecosystem makes it a practical choice for residents already navigating complex regimens, as long as expectations align with the realities of pharmacy operations in a consolidated care model.
Those who should consider alternatives are families who must have consistently rapid med dispensing, transparent communication, and public-facing pharmacy access. If timely delivery of pain medications, refills, or urgent drug needs is non-negotiable, the repeated reports of delays and poor responsiveness cannot be ignored. Likewise, if a family requires a pharmacy that communicates clearly and promptly with patients and caregivers, or one that offers straightforward escalation paths, this option may fall short. In short, a facility with strong ambience but unsettled pharmacy performance deserves careful comparison against peers with stronger track records for reliability.
The apparent strengths, an appealing environment, a sense of orderly, facility-centered care, and some days of competent, courteous service, do offset certain daily stresses for residents who place a premium on place and process. A few reviews note that the LTC pharmacy component can be competent and customer-friendly, suggesting that when operations run smoothly, the experience integrates well with nursing oversight and rehab protocols. For residents who value predictability in routine and a staff culture that can be apologetic yet attentive, these elements can reduce care-related friction and support a steady care rhythm.
However, the cons ripple through the everyday experience with enough frequency to change a family’s risk calculus. The most persistent complaints center on slow or inconsistent med dispensing, with multiple anecdotes of 12-hour waits for pain medications or delays stretching to days for refills. Communication gaps exacerbate frustration, leaving families unsure about when medications will arrive or why a promise isn’t kept. Some reviewers describe the pharmacy as unreliable, with outcomes that feel dangerously uncertain when urgent meds are involved. These patterns threaten not only convenience but resident safety and comfort during recovery and ongoing treatment.
Another telling note is the ambiguity around access and openness. Not being open to the public can be a logistical hurdle for families who want to verify processes firsthand or wish to bring in external prescriptions without navigating internal channels. While a portion of reviewers frame CVS ownership changes and shifting operational realities as a sign of evolving competency, the loudest voices emphasize inconsistent performance more than improvement. In practical terms, the variability in service quality makes it risky to rely on this pharmacy for critical, time-sensitive needs.
The bottom line is pragmatic: Merwin IV & Specialty Pharmacy can be a solid choice for families prioritizing a serene, well-managed care setting and who are comfortable with the possibility of intermittent med delays. It works best when the care team maintains close coordination and a resident’s regimen is stable enough to ride out occasional hiccups. For families whose tolerance for risk around timely dispensing is low, or who require consistently flawless communication and rapid issue resolution, it is wise to explore facilities with documented, 24/7 med-quotas, transparent response times, and a pharmacy operation model proven to deliver reliably without compromising safety. In those cases, a careful comparison of pharmacy performance metrics and escalation protocols will be decisive.
21 resident community capacity
Assisted Living
Beauty salon
Cable or satellite TV
Dining room
Fully furnished
Garden
Housekeeping services
Kitchenette
Move-in coordination
Outdoor space
Restaurant-style dining
Small library
Telephone
Wi-Fi/high-speed internet available
Minneapolis-St Paul International (14 miles away)
24-hour call system
Activities of daily living assistance
Assistance with bathing
Assistance with dressing
Assistance with transfers
Diabetes diet
Medication management
Mental wellness program
Special dietary restrictions
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