-:- Emergency doctors, hospital pharmacies, and primary care providers across the nation agree that when a patient comes to them with a well prepared home medication and allergies list, patient care and safety are greatly improved.
:. How does a list improve patient care and safety? .:.
* The primary care provider (i.e. physician, physician's assistant, or nurse practitioner) in the doctor's of
fice can have a clear overview of the patient's medications and can spot if there is a possible medication interaction.
* When a patient is admitted to the hospital the healthcare staff have an accurate medication list to pass on to the hospital's pharmacy to process.
* In case of an emergency, ambulance staff can look at the medication list for further medical clues or can notify the hospital if necessary.
:. How can you help? .:.
* Create a list if you are a patient who takes multiple medications and has multiple medical diagnoses because when in the emergency room or at the doctor's office it is essential for the physician to overview the list of medications and allergies to rule out the possibility of medication interaction being the cause of your current condition.
* If you are healthy but take vitamins or other over the counter supplements you want to prepare in case you have a medical emergency, in which case it is essential (once again) for the physician to be able to overview the list of medications/supplements in order to be able to prescribe the most fitting medication for the given situation. (For example: healthy athletes who compete regularly in competition across their state or the country would greatly benefit having a printed list of medications, allergies, and over the counter supplements.)
* If you are healthy and don't take any medications or supplements but have family or friends who do, you can do that family member and/or friend a service by helping them create a list in order to improve their care and safety in the event they enter the healthcare system.
