When patients pick up medication from the pharmacy, they are most likely asked, “Do you have any questions for the pharmacist?”, but are your patients aware of what pharmacists can help them with? Pharmacists are go-to experts on medication, knowledgeable about how medications work, what they treat, and how they interact with other products. Pharmacists are often the most accessible health care providers for patients, and they can aid patients with many health concerns and topics without having to wait for a doctor’s appointment. Talk with your patients about the following 6 topics to ensure they understand all the ways pharmacists can help them.
1. Managing medications
One of the best topics to discuss with your patients is medications, obviously. But do your patients know you can create a plan to help manage their meds? Make sure your patients know that pharmacists can help patients keep a consistent schedule, keep things organized to avoid missed doses, or adjust their medications. Let your patients know you can work with them to create a personalized plan for their health needs.
2. Use opioids safely
Even if your patients are using opioids exactly as their doctor prescribed, dangerous accidents can happen. As a medication expert, let your patients know you can educate them on how to take their medication, including discussing the correct dosage, frequency, and how to avoid an accident that could lead to an overdose. Patients may also need a reminder that you can explain potential side effects, drug interactions, and the dangers of sharing opioid medications with others. Make sure they know that you can work with patient’s health care providers to adjust their opioid dose to avoid potential dependence, that you will closely monitor patients for signs of dependence or misuse, and discuss proper disposal of opioid medication with them. Advise patients taking opioid medications to keep naloxone on hand, and inform them that you can train patients and their family members or caretakers on how to use it correctly.
3. Find over-the-counter medication and supplements
Along with prescription-only drugs, let your patients know that you are trained on the chemistry and dosage of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and supplements. If a patient is curious about OTC medicines or supplements, they can ask you how they might help them meet their health goals. Let patients know that you can also review their medications to ensure that any OTC drugs or supplements are safe to use with their current prescriptions to prevent any adverse interactions.
4. Chronic disease management
For your patients with chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or something else that affects their health long term, make sure they know you can help make a plan to manage their treatment. Let patients know that you can advise on medications to help their specific conditions, recommend lifestyle changes, and help them access care. Discuss with patients and their families that you will work as part of their health care team to better patient outcomes, making sure they don’t run into further health complications and improving their quality of life.
5. Save money on medication
The cost of medication concerns many patients. Inform them that you can share options to help patients save money on medication. Let them know that you can recommend generic versions of drugs or biosimilars, find less expensive medications that have the same effects, and share information about discount cards or coupons.
6. Get vaccinated
Don’t let patients wait for a doctor’s appointment to get vaccinated! Most patients know they can get flu and COVID-19 shots at pharmacies, but it’s important to share with your patients that they can schedule other vaccines at the pharmacy as well. Inform them that pharmacies offer all kinds of vaccines, including RSV, Tdap, HPV, and more. Scheduling vaccinations at pharmacies is often convenient to patients’ schedules, and you can make sure they know what scheduling options your pharmacy offers, including walk-in options or online scheduling to make the process even easier.
As a pharmacist, you advise patients through every stage of their health journey. Explore the Safe Pharmacy website to find more resources about safe medication practices to share with your patients.