Medication errors can happen for many different reasons, but you can work along with your health care providers to prevent these errors, both as a patient and as a person who helps a friend or relative with their medications. An important way to prevent errors is to have all the right information…
With that in mind, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) has developed a list of 5 questions you should ask whenever you are:
Being discharged from hospital
Having an appointment with your doctor or specialist
Talking to your pharmacist or
Having a visit with a home care nurse
These times are referred to as “transitions of care” and are the most likely times that your medications might be changed and mistakes could happen. Asking questions will help ensure you understand how your medications are supposed to be used. These occasions also give you an opportunity to learn more about your medications, such as what each does, how it is to be used, how long it should be taken, and what side effects you should watch for.
Here are the recommended questions you should ask:
Changes? – Have any medications been added, stopped or changed and Why?
Continue? – What medications do I need to keep taking and Why?
Proper use? – How do I take my medications, and for how long?
Monitor? – How will I know if my medication is working, and what side effects to I watch for?
Follow-Up? – Do I need any tests, and when do I book my next visit?
To make this easier, ISMP has organized these questions onto a page you can download and fill in on your computer or tablet, or just print off and take to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. You can download it here.
Be aware that most pharmacists can book an appointment with you to review your medications in detail. For some people, this may be a benefit of your prescription medication insurance coverage. But even if it is not covered, it can be a good investment in your health if you take several medications or have a complicated medical therapy. If you specifically ask the pharmacist to look for medications that can be stopped or “deprescribed”, a review may mean you have lower medication expenses and a simpler medication program in the future.
It is also important to keep an up-to-date medication record. You can find a free app for your computer or phone (Apple, Android or Blackberry) by clicking here or googling “my med rec”. Be sure to include a list of drug allergies, any vitamins or minerals, herbal or natural products, and any non-prescription products in your medication record. This list can be especially helpful when being admitted to hospital or when trying to determine if any medications can be discontinued.
More medication means greater chances for drug interactions. While drugs can be life saving, drug interactions and unwanted side effects can harm your health. Sometimes a drug is added solely to counter a side effect of another drug you are taking, when the problem could have been solved by changing the original medication.
So, learn as much as you can about your medications and how to benefit most from what you are taking. Communicate clearly with your doctor, pharmacist and nurse practitioner that you want to be taking the least number of medications possible for the shortest time necessary to keep you healthy. And, lastly, learn what lifestyle or diet changes can be tried to improve your health. Work hard to make these changes so you can minimize the medication you need to control chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.
The CEO of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), Chris Power, advises:
“Be as informed as you can be and go into that relationship with your doctor, your nurse or your pharmacist or whomever is providing care, knowing that you’re a partner and you have a right and a responsibility to ask questions and to understand what’s happening with your health care.”
