Prescriptions can be confusing, but a pharmacist can help.
After patients are discharged from the hospital, they are responsible for following directions for taking any medications they have been prescribed. But between 25 and 50 percent of patients in the U.S. don’t take prescriptions as directed, according to recent research. Fortunately, patients don’t have to try to understand prescriptions on their own. Outpatient pharmacies can help with the job of medication management.
Chris Cilderman, PharmD, Outpatient Pharmacy Manager for the Barnabas Health Retail Pharmacy at Clara Maass Medical Center, explains:
Why is a hospital pharmacy important?
We assist patients with their medications as they transition from a hospital visit to home or another care setting. You can call our pharmacist and ask a question. That’s the simplest way to get high-quality help with any medication question, rather than trying to figure it out on your own.
What is medication management?
That’s a big part of our job, which involves helping patients understand why they’re taking a medicine, and ensuring that they’re taking it as directed. We also look at the bigger picture: Are they on too many medications? Are there drug interactions that might affect outcomes? Are there side effects that might cause them to stop taking it? Our main goal is to help patients take their medications as prescribed so they get better and don’t have to come back to the hospital.
What are some common medication mistakes?
The biggest problem with the use of medications is not following directions— for example, not taking a pill at the right time of day, or with food, or for the entire length of time needed. Sometimes patients don’t understand why they’ve been given so many medications to take after discharge. Or there may have been changes to the medication they have been taking. Sometimes, patients get confused when switching from one product to another.
Is the Barnabas Health Retail Pharmacy also open to people who aren’t patients of the hospital?
Yes, we are a full-service retail pharmacy serving patients who are being discharged, employees and patients from the entire community. We offer free delivery within five miles.
4 tips for managing your medicine
- Follow directions exactly. “Carefully read the instructions on the prescription bottle,” says Chris Cilderman, PharmD, Outpatient Pharmacy Manager for Barnabas Health Retail Pharmacy at Clara Maass Medical Center. “Ask your pharmacist if you have any questions about the medication and what it’s used for.”
- Use an organizer. This could be a physical pill organizer with compartments for days of the week, or a cell phone reminder. “We also offer a free calendar so you can mark off each dose as you take it,” Cilderman says.
- If you miss a dose, talk to your pharmacist or doctor before you consider doubling up. If you can’t remember because you weren’t using any of the memory aids, consult your doctor or pharmacist. “It’s rare that we’d say to go ahead and take a second one,” Cilderman says.
- Make a list of the medications you are on, and keep it with you. Give a copy to a loved one. It will be important to have that information available in the event of a medical emergency.
The Barnabas Health Retail Pharmacy is located on the ground floor of Clara Maass Medical Center at 1 Clara Maass Drive in Belleville. For more information, call 973.450.2581