Hi everyone! Exchange District Pharmacy here! We are excited to be a part of our first guest blog. For some of you that have read our blog, we have explained to you what pharmacists really do behind the counter, to see the dispensing aspect of pharmacy, but today let us dive in to how those tasks are important in terms of patient safety.
So, let us start at the beginning of the day. At 9:30 am we open the doors and get ready to see all of our wonderful patients. The morning is typically our busiest time trying to prepare all of our auto-refills, including blister packs, to get ready for people to pick up and get all of our deliveries done for our first pick up. Along with this we typically have people come in to pick up their medications, drop off prescriptions, get injections, and ask any questions they may have in person or over the phone. This may sound hectic but who doesn’t love the hustle? We sure do!
Now let’s break this down. From the time you come in with that white paper saying what medication you need until the time we give you the vial of medication this is what goes on behind the counter:
1. Our technician enters your prescription into our computer system along with your insurance and important information about your medical history.
If you’re new to the pharmacy we ask for your insurance information as well as gather information about any allergies or medical conditions you may have, and any other prescription medicines, over the counter medicines or supplements you may be taking. It is important for us to collect this medical history to help make sure the medication prescribed is the best option for you. We want to double check you won’t have any allergic reactions, that your new medication won’t interact with any other medications you may be taking, and we want to make sure that this medication won’t affect any other health conditions you may have. Basically, we are the white coats that back the first white coat to guarantee your safety!
2. We then run it through your insurance – this is a vital step!
Insurance is a funny thing, sometimes it works just fine and sometimes it sends us on a roller-coaster. There are many different types of insurance and many different plans. Our technicians and pharmacists work together to always try to find the most cost effective option for you, and sometimes that means we have to call your insurance company or help you figure out the right paperwork to submit so you get the best price. Unfortunately, when insurance problems happen, they usually take a little while, but we are doing our best to help you as fast as we can. All of your medications are run through Manitoba Health and this offers us the opportunity to make sure that there are no duplicate medications being picked up anywhere else. Sometimes when people see multiple doctors there can be a small gap in communication that leads to multiple prescriptions that treat the same medical condition. By running your prescriptions through Manitoba Health this helps guarantee your safety by making sure there is no duplicate medication that could lead to increased side effects.
3. After the insurance is dealt with, we print the label and count out your medication. Yes, we use that fancy little tray to count by fives!
From the label we go grab the stock bottle and match the drug identification number to your prescription label to ensure it is the right medication. We then whip out our counting tray to count out the exact number you need. Sometimes we have to double count and back count what is left in the bottle depending on the medication. During this time we usually also check about how many refills you have left, or if your birthday is coming up so we can give you a little birthday card, because we truly want you to have the best experience, since we know that coming to get a prescription usually means you may not be feeling the best. It is imperative to have the right medication, the right amount of medication, and to understand how many refills you have left to make sure you are getting treated properly and don’t miss a day of medication, as this can be vital to your health.
4. After this whole process is complete it heads over to the pharmacist - our medication experts!
Our amazing pharmacist is here to double check the appropriate medicine is in the vial, that this medicine is appropriate for whatever is bothering you, that there are no drug interactions with your other medications, that you understand how it works, how to take it, where to store it, side effects that may occur and to answer any questions you may have. If there are any concerns, we typically speak with you to explain what is going on and call your doctor to figure out a plan. We work as a team with your doctor and yourself so everyone who is involved is on the same page. Our biggest priority is your health and safety so all these processes we go through are to do just that. There are so many medications on the market today that it is so incredibly important to make sure that we are all on the same page and that the medication is the right fit for you.
Pharmacists are the medication experts of the healthcare field and they also happen to be the most accessible healthcare professional out there so take advantage of their knowledge! The dispensing aspect is of course always going to be a part of pharmacy so we can ensure you have the right medication, but counselling patients about medications and answering questions is what pharmacists spend years of school to master this technique. Did you know pharmacists have to go through practical tests to show they are able to recommend the right medication and be able to counsel on all the important medications before they become licensed? It’s true! Pharmacists have a rigorous training process similar to other healthcare professionals such as doctors, dentists, physical therapies, etc. So next time you come by a pharmacy, #RethinkPharmacists because we are here to help you with any of your healthcare needs!
Though this entire process may not seem very long since it is only 4 steps, do keep in mind we may have multiple patients waiting at the same time and people calling to ask questions as well. We all do our absolute best to make this an overall great experience for you as we truly care about all of our patients. Remember all these steps are to protect you and keep you safe and if you ever have any concerns, we are there to answer your questions. We love to get to know about our patients and be able to build a lasting and trusting relationship, so we love to chit chat!
Some other tips on being a team player in making sure you are being safe and advocating for your health we recommend the following things.
1. Ask the pharmacist how your medications work, what the side effects are, how you should take the medication, how you should store and/or discard your medications, and any other concerns you may have
2. Keep a list of your medications with you. One way you can do this is with this Medication Card. It is important to know what you’re taking because in emergencies this can be vital for medical personnel to know how to best treat you.
3. If you are having trouble keeping track of your medications – ask us about a pill box or blister pack or even apps to help you stay on top of it!
4. If you are no longer able to take care of your own medications make sure you have a Patient Advocacy Agreement for someone to make those decisions for you
If you have any more questions about our process or about patient safety please feel free to call Exchange District Pharmacy at 204-942-0573, email us at info@exchangedistrictrx.com or come say hello at 286 McDermot Ave!
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