Here are some of the most common questions we receive from patients, families and healthcare professionals about what our pharmacists do.
Where do healthcare system pharmacists work?
- Hospitals
- Long-term care facilities
- Homecare companies
- Health-maintenance organizations
- Other organized health-system settings
What do they do?
- Advise doctors and other healthcare professionals about medication selection and administration
- Counsel patients on proper medication use
- Monitor medication therapy to ensure its effectiveness
- Evaluate new medications, recommending the safest and most effective therapies for each patient
How do they work with doctors and nurses?
- Health-system pharmacists work with doctors, nurses and other professionals to deliver patient care.
- Pharmacists are important members of every patient’s healthcare team.
What information can health-system pharmacists provide?
- Information on your medications, including purpose, effectiveness, side effects and dosage
- How to take medications properly so they’re safe and effective
- Ways to help prevent improper medication use and adverse drug reactions
- Ways to help prevent the development of drug-resistant strains of bacteria
- Proper medication use after a patient leaves a health-system
How do health-system pharmacists help keep patients safe?
- By preventing possible adverse interactions by reviewing patients’ medication therapy for each new medication prescribed
- By discussing the most effective therapies with doctors and nurses
- By monitoring medication dosage and administration, and making any necessary adjustments
What else can health-system pharmacists tell me about?
- Provide assistance and advice about patches, gum and other smoking-cessation aids
- Recommend aspirin dosages to prevent heart attacks and strokes
- Inform you about medications that go from prescription to over-the-counter status, like nicotine patches and Claritin
- Discuss effective ways to treat high cholesterol
- Medications to treat common conditions such as diabetes and asthma
- Offering guidelines about taking medications with alcohol
- The proper immunizations for adults and children
- Special considerations when giving children medication