Simplified Medication Management
Because of the increased complexity of medication management, Geriatric and Family Medicine has expanded our team-based care by collaborating with a clinical pharmacist. Some consider clinical pharmacists to play a non-traditional role in primary care, in contrast to retail pharmacists or inpatient hospital pharmacists. Many pharmacists devote their time to filling prescriptions. At Geriatric and Family Medicine, our clinical pharmacist is more intimately involved with the provider. We collaborate in developing, implementing, and evaluating treatment plans to ensure we have your best interest in mind.
A Fully Qualified Pharmacist
Our clinical pharmacist is an expert in medication management, monitoring, and reconciliation and will review medications for safety and drug interactions. In addition, we provide chronic care management, patient education, and collaboration with the healthcare team on ordering refills and completing prior authorizations. We often refer patients to our clinical pharmacist to address sensitive issues through counseling. For instance, counseling may be suggested to simplify dosing regimens and medication changes, reduce drug loads in polypharmacy situations, and minimize exposure to high-risk medications. Some drugs’ temporary side effects can discourage patients from stopping their medicines before the benefit occurs. Many drugs are tolerable in the long run but may have a rocky start. Our clinical pharmacist can check in with you during your first weeks of treatment to reinforce the overall treatment goals.
Safe, Effective, and Accessible Medications
Patients with chronic conditions often need intensive interprofessional interventions for the best outcome. Direct and genuine communication between you, the clinical pharmacist, and the provider help to guide treatment plans that prevent progression and avoid irreversible damage. Our clinical pharmacist can partner with you to improve the quality of care and your experience by using their expertise to make medications safe, effective, and accessible.
Because we are geriatric specialists, we see the big picture for older adults that take multiple medications to treat several conditions. We are well-versed in drug side effects and the adverse effects that may occur from taking numerous drugs. Our in-house clinical pharmacist can help prioritize the medications that maximize the patient’s physical functioning and well-being. Our partnership allows the clinical pharmacist to address polypharmacy and deprescribe unhelpful or hazardous medications.
