Turner, Arellano offer decades of combined experience 

For over a decade, Denise Turner and Julia Arellano have been dedicated to providing exceptional service to the patients of the Southern Ute Health Center Pharmacy; both Certified Pharmacy Technicians. More often than not, the friendly face at the pharmacy window or the voice on the phone belongs to one of them— the Southern Ute Health Center’s outstanding pharmacy technicians. 

Turner and Arellano have built strong, lasting relationships with their patients, going above and beyond to remember the little details that ensure each patient receives the best possible care. They work diligently to provide necessary medications and supplies, while handling critical behind-the-scenes responsibilities, such as processing insurance claims, managing inventory, and collaborating with the CHR department for medication deliveries. They also work closely with pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to ensure seamless patient care. 

 “We fill 250 prescriptions a day on average,” Julia Arellano said. “Denise and I work closely with the pharmacists (Emily, Michelle, and Kristen) to help with patient safety and direct the workflow so the pharmacist can focus on more clinical tasks such as – reviewing labs and doses, training patients, and counseling patients.” 

Beyond their technical expertise, the pharmacy technicians take pride in making medication access as convenient as possible. They personally deliver prescriptions—whether to exam rooms or directly to waiting vehicles—no matter the weather. Their dedication to serving the Southern Ute Tribal membership makes their work deeply rewarding, and they are honored to continue building strong connections within the community. 

Turner has 23 years of experience as a pharmacy technician and has worked with the Tribe for 11 years. Arellano has been with the SUHC for nine years and went to San Juan College in Farmington, N.M. to obtain a pharmacy technician certificate. Both became certified through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and are required to renew their certifications every two years.  

Pharmacy services available through the SUHC include autofill (this is where patients prescriptions automatically fill close to the time they will run out of their meds), text messaging, so patients know when they have medication ready, option on the Southern Ute website to refill medication, and a smartphone app to refill medication called “refill pro.”