As American Pharmacists Month, October is a great time to remember why your pharmacist is a key player in the health care system and how they can help you.
Pharmacists are Medication Experts Pharmacists are trained on a wide variety of different disease states, but our specialty focuses on the medications used to treat those disease states within your body. We understand how medications work and can identify medication interactions and problems, including those involving non-prescription medications.
Pharmacists = Very Accessible Health Care Providers Pharmacists are often available when other health care providers are not, and most often do not require you to schedule an appointment to ask questions about your healthcare needs.
Pharmacists Provide Much More than Medication Dispensing Aside from dispensing medications, pharmacists can provide excellent counselling services about all medications (including herbal supplements) and a variety of different health conditions. Pharmacists play a major role in monitoring or managing several chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, weight loss, and tobacco use. In fact, it has been proven that patients have better overall health outcomes if a pharmacist is involved on their healthcare team.
Pharmacists Help Ensure Your Meds are Safe, Appropriate & Effective Pharmacists can look at all of your prescription medications as a whole to determine if they are safe, appropriate and effective in managing your health conditions. Your Pharmacist may also be able to assess if you’re taking medications you no longer need, if you have therapy duplication, if you’re missing certain medication that is proven to help your specific conditions, or if you’re taking something that could potentially be harmful to your health. The pharmacist can also suggest alternative drug options to lessen side effects, or reduce your drug costs.
Pharmacists can provide guidance for managing your overall health and navigating today’s ever-changing health care system. Talk to your pharmacist today and see how they can help you! For information about Tria Health, visit www.triahealth.com.