BLOOMINGTON — What do pharmacists wish patients knew?
The Pantagraph posed that question to hospital pharmacists who also have retail pharmacy experience. They are Tim Schulta, clinical pharmacist at OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington; Steve Pinneke, director of pharmacy for Advocate BroMenn Medical Center, Normal, and Advocate Eureka Hospital, Eureka; Heidi Brines, clinical pharmacist at OSF Saint James-John W. Albrecht Medical Center, Pontiac; and Nikki Himmell, pharmacist at Atrium Pharmacy at Advocate BroMenn.
Here are thoughts that they'd like to pass along to patients:
- We don't just fill pill bottles.
"I check all your drugs for interactions with other medications, herbals, your disease states, allergies," Himmell said. "I check for dosing errors. I check to make sure that you are taking the right drug for the right ailment."
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- Expecting 'fast food' service from a pharmacy is unsafe.
"We are the final check between you and your medications," Schulta said. "I can't tell you all of the potentially harmful mistakes I've caught! Please don't rush us."
- Allow sufficient time for the pharmacy to refill prescriptions.
It's best to order a refill a couple days before you need it, Brines advised. If the prescription is out of refills, the pharmacy will have to contact the patient's doctor. The pharmacy may be out of stock of the medication. Filling a compounded medication prescription may take 24 hours. There may be an issue with billing the patient's insurance.
- Drive-through is for picking up and dropping off.
"Please come inside for time-intensive issues," Schulta said.
- Just because a drug is over-the-counter, herbal or 'all-natural' doesn't mean it's safer than prescription drugs.
- Generic drugs are equivalent to brand-name drugs.
"Save your money," Schulta said. "The FDA has determined using bioequivalence studies that the generics will have the same effect as their pricier brand names. And oftentimes, once a brand name drug's patent expires, the drug company that produced the brand name will simply bottle the brand name tablets/caps in a new bottle with the generic name on the label."
- Make a list of all your medications.
"This includes over-the-counter, vitamins and herbals," Pinneke said. "Include the dose, directions and name of physician and pharmacy." Include any drug allergies and health conditions.
Keep the list with you. "Health care providers will need to know this information in order to treat the patient safely and effectively," Brines said.
Keep the list of other people for whom you are responsible, such as your children or an elderly parent.
Take the list to all doctor visits, inpatient and outpatient procedures, he said.
- Tell the pharmacist about all medicines you are taking.
This includes all prescription, over-the-counter (OTCs) and herbal medicines and illegal drugs. OTCs, supplements, herbals and illegals can cause interactions when taken with prescription drugs.
Even OTCs such as ibuprofen and aspirin can cause complications, Schulta said, especially among people with high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney disease, history of stomach or gastrointestinal bleeding or alcohol abuse, coronary artery disease, heart failure or cerebrovascular disease.
- Tell your pharmacist if you're pregnant or breastfeeding
Some medicines may not be safe for you or your baby, Brines said.
- Use the same retail pharmacy for all your medicines.
"It is difficult for the pharmacist to evaluate safety issues, such as drug interactions and duplicate therapies, if the patient is going to multiple pharmacies to get medications," Brines said.
- Don't be embarrassed to ask a pharmacist questions.
"I have probably heard and seen it all," Himmell said. "I am a health care professional and I will treat you with the utmost professionalism."
- When you get a refill, if your medicine looks different, ask the pharmacist.
If your medication looks different in a hospital, ask a nurse, Pinneke said.
- Know your co-pays.
When you get a new insurance card, bring it to your pharmacy so the pharmacist can update your records and those of your family members. The pharmacist has nothing to do with your co-pay and won't know your co-pay until after insurance is billed.
- Follow label directions.
Keep medicines in their original containers and take according to label directions, Pinneke said.
Finish the entire course of antibiotics even if you're feeling better. "Not finishing may not eradicate your infection or it may breed resistant bacteria," Schulta said.
- Don't take anyone else's medicine.
It could interact with your medication, Pinneke said.
- Store medicine in a cool, dry place.
Medicines may break down quicker in warm, moist environments such as bathrooms, under sinks, near windows and in vehicles, Brines said. Keep out of reach of children and pets.
- Contact your pharmacy about proper disposal of old medications.
Your pharmacist should be aware of pharmacies that accept expired or no-longer-needed medicines for proper disposal.
- Follow dietary recommendations.
Certain foods can interact with certain medications, such as Coumadin, which fights blood clots. If you are on a medicine that results in your doctor or pharmacist telling you to avoid certain foods, don't eat them.
- No pill will help you to control your weight.
"Make every effort to control your weight," Schulta said. "Even losing 10 pounds can improve your overall health. It takes a serious change in your lifestyle to lose and keep weight off."
- The flu shot doesn't cause the flu.
"The flu vaccine contains proteins from influenza strains or inactivated (unable to cause infection) influenza viruses," Schulta said. "It is not possible to cause the flu."