(This article by Paul Berkebile, Pharm.D., director of pharmacy and pharmacist at Keystone Pharmacy, first appeared in the Public Opinion Newspaper in 2012.)
Many people know and understand that an open relationship with their physician is extremely important. What many don’t often consider, is the kind of relationship they need to have with their pharmacist. A pharmacist isn’t just there to dispense medication – pharmacists are an important and integral part of your health care team. It’s important to get to know what your pharmacist can do for you and the many ways they are there to help.
Multiple medications
Whiles it’s not crucial to get your prescriptions filled at the same pharmacy each time, if you choose to use different pharmacies it is important to alert your pharmacist of any and all medications you are currently taking at every visit. Tell your pharmacist about all prescription and over the counter medications, vitamins, and supplements you are using so he or she can detect if there will be any complications or interactions. Anything you put in your body has the potential to interact with other things. Conflicting medications, supplements, and even some foods can increase or decrease the effectiveness of other drugs or make side effects worse.
Here to help
One thing to always remember—pharmacists are there to help. Whether you are picking up a prescription medication or an over the counter cold remedy, they are available to answer your questions. For patients with medical conditions or current prescription drugs, pharmacists can recommend complimentary products that will agree with current medications and can help avoid any potential complications. When picking up a prescription, you have an opportunity to talk with your pharmacist and ask questions but that’s not the only time you can speak to them. If you get home and don’t understand your dosing information, wonder why your medication looks different, or have concerns about side effects, it’s important to call your pharmacist right away.
It’s okay to ask questions
If you have a concern about a medication or think there’s an error, call your pharmacist immediately. While there are checks and balances in place to correctly fill prescriptions, it’s important for you to understand and examine your own medications. Today’s insurance companies require all prescriptions be filled as generic unless the prescriber writes brand necessary on the prescription. Many drugs that have been brands at one time now have generic. Pharmacy wholesalers can also run out of a medication from a particular manufacturer so a little green tablet is now an oblong white tablet even though it’s the same drug. If you have questions, give your pharmacy at call. The last thing a pharmacist wants to do is dispense the wrong medication—there’s nothing they like more than telling you its okay.
Paul Berkebile, Pharm.D., is director of pharmacy and pharmacist at Keystone Pharmacy at the Cochran Professional Center at 830 Fifth Avenue in Chambersburg, PA.
