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Good health care depends on what you know!
Take time to talk to your pharmacist.
What is Pharmaceutical care?
Pharmaceutical care is the next generation of pharmacy practice, which goes beyond the traditional pharmacy service of filling prescriptions. Pharmacists practicing pharmaceutical care are true health advisors. With pharmaceutical care, the pharmacist works with you in a one-on-one discussion to determine your individual medication needs. The goal is to help you get the best results from use of your medicines.
You are an important part of Pharmaceutical Care!
Pharmaceutical Care requires you to be an active participant in your own health care. You need to tell your pharmacist:
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Your medical history
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Prescription medicine you are taking, non-prescription or over-the-counter products you use(like aspirin, vitamins, health food products, etc.)
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Any drug or food allergies or problems you have in using your medicines
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Other information that may relate to your treatment
The Pharmacist's Role in Pharmaceutical Care
The pharmacist reviews your medicine use and health history to identify any problems related to your medicine use. Any information you provide your pharmacist will remain strictly confidential.
Your pharmacist works with your physician and other health care professionals you see to evaluate the problems and develop solutions that best fit your personal needs.
As your treatment continues, your pharmacist will periodically see how you're doing and suggest changes that will lead to the best possible results from use of your medicines.
How Pharmaceutical Care saves you and your insurance plan money
Keeping your medical condition well controlled can prevent complications and hospital admissions, for example:
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Proper use of high blood pressure medicine can prevent a heart attack or stroke
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Using inhalers properly can reduce the frequency or severity of asthma attacks
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Monitoring and controlling blood sugar levels in diabetic patients can prevent long-term complications of the disease, such as blindness, nerve impairment and kidney damage
Patients who will get the most from Pharmaceutical Care
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Patients with asthma, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or other long term conditions
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Patients with chronic pain from diseases such as cancer or rheumatoid arthritis
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Patients who are treated with multiple medicines on an ongoing basis
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Patients who are being treated by several prescribers
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Consumers who elect to treat themselves with over -counter (non-prescription) medicine
Why should you seek out Pharmaceutical Care?
With Pharmaceutical Care, the focus of care is the patient rather than the use of the drug. Medicines will always be an important part of health care. More important than having access to medicines is knowing how to use them correctly. Improper medicine use is the cause of:
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10% of all hospital admission;
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25% of hospital admissions for those over 65; and
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23% of all nursing home admissions.
Pharmaceutical Care will help you improve your quality of life while gaining the satisfaction of knowing that you are actively participating in your health care.
Your physician will benefit from having well educated and better motivated patients who can make informed decisions about their hearth care.
Pharmaceutical Care will benefit health care systems by reducing total costs for medicare care. A growing number insurance plan understand that paying for PHARMACEUTICAL CARE saves saves money and improves the overall health of their policyholder. Check with your employer or your insurance carrier for more information.
Regardless of your medical condition, Pharmaceutical Care will improve your understanding of your illness and treatment.
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