What is a Medication Review? (And Other FAQs)
Every patient in your facility likely takes multiple medications regularly to treat chronic conditions and occasional medicines to treat acute conditions like colds or stomach bugs. However, studies have indicated that most adults, even those in care facilities, have not had a medication review.
What is a medication review, and why are they important for your patients? Let’s take a look and see.
What is a Medication Review?
During a medication review, a medical provider (a doctor or consultant pharmacist) will examine each patient’s medical records and review their list of medications. During the review, they’ll be looking for:
- Unnecessary medications
- Potential drug interactions
- Over- or under-medication
- Other potential problems or areas for possible improvements in treatment.
Why Order Medication Reviews For Your Patients?
Particularly for patients taking more than five medications or being treated for several chronic conditions, keeping track of the multiple drugs and their potential interactions can be a significant challenge. A review gives you a chance to get a professional insight into each patient’s medications, provides a touchpoint where you can review your facility’s supply requirements, and lets you be confident that your patients are receiving the right amounts of only the medications they need.
Potential benefits of a medication review include:
- Avoiding dangerous interactions – the pharmacist will alert you that a patient’s medications could be interfering, adversely affecting, or unwantedly multiplying the effects of one another.
- Eliminating duplicate medications and overmedicating – Taking multiple medications that offer the same effect is both costing more money and creating the dangerous potential for over-medication
- Increasing compliance – particularly if your patients administer their own medications, having an overly-long list of prescriptions to take each day can lead them to accidentally or intentionally failing to take one or more medications
How do I Prepare for a Medication Review?
When the consultant pharmacist begins their review, they’ll need information about your facility’s patients. Gather the documentation they’ll need beforehand, or ensure they’ll have access to the electronic medical records. At the minimum, they’ll need to see:
- Each patient’s current medical records
- A list of each patient’s medications, including prescription and OTC drugs, and detailed dosing information for each medicine.
If your consultant pharmacist requires additional information, they’ll let you know before your review begins.
Scheduling regular medication reviews is an easy way to ensure your patients are getting the care they need, reduce your facility’s costs and overhead, and take one more worry off your plate.
Angus Lake Healthcare is your local pharmacy consultant, serving facilities and their residents across Central Georgia.
Your patients’ medications can be complicated, but we can ensure they’re appropriately managed – contact our team for a facility medication review. Schedule a consultation today to learn more: 478-233-1828.
Related Articles:
What to Expect with Compliance Packaging for Medications
Prescription Services FAQs – Know the Details of Your Prescription