What to expect from your Pharmacist

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What to expect from your Pharmacist

• Services your pharmacist can provide for you and
  your family

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Information for patients
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• Your pharmacist can do much more for you than
  just count your pills.
• Many community pharmacies today offer a wide
  array of services for patients.

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Pharmacists Duties

• Fill prescriptions
• Counsel patients
• Answer questions
• Give information about OTC products
• Disease State Management

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Filling Prescriptions

• Your Pharmacist is responsible for all aspects of
  filling prescriptions.
• They interpret, count, and label your
  medications.
• They are in charge of billing insurance
• They check for interactions between your other
  medications

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The Prescription Process
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Counseling

• Pharmacists are responsible for counseling to
  patients on every new prescription they fill.
• Some information given to patients
• Drug information
• Trade and generic names
• Strength
• Indication(s)
• Dosing regimens
• When to take the medications
• How to take the medications

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Counseling continued

• Special instructions
• With or with out food
• Sun sensitivity
• Alcohol precautions , etc.
• Adverse effects to watch for

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Answering Questions

• Your pharmacist can answer a variety of questions
  you might have about your health care.
• What are my medications used for?
• Am I having side effects from my medication?
• Do my medications interact with one another?
• How am I supposed to take my medications?

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OTC Information

• Your pharmacist can be quite handy when you need
  information about an over-the-counter product.
• They can recommend to you what to take to
  alleviate many symptoms of everyday illnesses.
• They can also potentially save you money by
  knowing an OTC alternative to your medications

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OTC continued

• They can double check the prescription
  medications you are on to see if any interaction
  occur with OTC products.
• Pharmacists can determine if any OTC products are
  contraindicated with any pre-existing condition
  you might have.

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Disease State Management

• A pharmacist can help monitor a number of
  diseases in a variety of ways.
• A few that can be very beneficial are
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Coumadin levels
• Weight management
• Bone density

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Disease StateDiabetes

• Pharmacists can help reduce the number of doctor
  visits a diabetic makes by providing in pharmacy
  diabetic care.
• They can check and chart glucose levels and help
  establish a good medication dosing schedule.
• They can provide on the site exams to check for
  diabetic neuropathy in the periphery
• Help offset costs of supplies through various
  programs

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Disease StateHypertension

• Pharmacists can assist in hypertensive patients
  in much the same way.
• Provide a routine screening of pressure.
• Work to adjust medications
• Provide tips on how to keep pressure down with
  diet, exercise and reduced stress.

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Disease StateCoumadin

• A pharmacist can monitor your coumadin levels.
• A pharmacist can talk with your doctor about
  making dose adjustments on your coumadin.
• A pharmacist can work with you to help regulate
  your levels.

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Disease StateWeight Managment

• A pharmacist can first access your Body Mass
  Index (BMI)
• A plan can then be developed to help you maintain
  a target weight.
• A pharmacist can be a great support system for
  encouragement and accountability

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Disease StateOsteoporosis

• A pharmacist can determine, through bone density
  screenings, your risk of developing osteoporosis.
• A pharmacist can help determine the level of
  deterioration your bones have reached
• A pharmacist can help provide tips on diet and
  exercise to help manage or prevent osteoporosis

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Who people talk to at the first sign of sickness
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In Summary

• In summary a pharmacist can provide much more
  than just pills and cough syrup!
• A pharmacist should be one of your first choices
  to go to with questions and help with your
  physical health