Medication reviews
Medication reviews in Burnaby
Most people have never had anyone look at all of their medications at once. A medication review is exactly that, and for eligible BC residents it is covered.
What a medication review is
A medication review is a scheduled conversation with the pharmacist, usually twenty to thirty minutes, covering everything you take. Not just your prescriptions: the vitamins, the supplements, the thing you bought for your knee, the herbal tea someone recommended. All of it, in one place, looked at together.
It exists because medications accumulate. A specialist adds one, a walk-in doctor adds another, something gets doubled during a hospital stay and never gets reduced again. Nobody set out to put you on nine medications. It just happened one appointment at a time.
What we look for
- Interactions. Including with over-the-counter products and supplements, which is where most people are unaware there is any risk at all.
- Duplication. Two medications doing the same job, often under different names from different prescribers.
- Timing that can be simplified. Sometimes four dosing times can become two, and adherence improves immediately.
- Side effects being treated as new conditions. A surprisingly common pattern, and one worth catching.
- Things you have quietly stopped taking. No judgement. It is far more useful for us to know.
How to prepare
- Book a time. Call the pharmacy. We set aside proper time rather than fitting it between two dispensing tasks.
- Bring everything. All your bottles and packages, including the ones you are not sure about and anything you bought yourself. The actual containers, not a list.
- We go through it together. What each one is for, whether it is still needed, and how it is actually going for you.
- You leave with a written summary. Plain language. We send recommendations to your family physician where a prescribing change makes sense.
Bring a family member if that helps. Especially for older patients, having a second person in the room means the plan is understood by everyone who supports it at home. We are glad to have them there.
Cost and eligibility
PharmaCare funds medication reviews for eligible BC residents, which generally means patients taking five or more prescription medications, and patients in certain other circumstances. For most people who qualify there is no charge. We will confirm your eligibility when you book.
Common questions
Who is eligible for a free medication review in BC?
PharmaCare funds medication reviews for eligible BC residents, generally those taking five or more prescription medications, and in certain other circumstances. Call us and we will check your eligibility before you come in.
How long does a medication review take?
Usually twenty to thirty minutes. Book a time rather than walking in, so the pharmacist can give it proper attention.
What should I bring?
Everything you take, in the original containers: prescriptions, over-the-counter products, vitamins and supplements. Bring the actual bottles rather than a list, because the labels tell us things a list will not.
Will you change my medications?
The pharmacist does not change what a physician has prescribed. What we do is identify problems and send clear recommendations to your prescriber, who decides. For anything within pharmacist scope, we can act directly.
Can I bring my parent, or come on their behalf?
Yes, and it often works better that way. We will need the patient present or their consent, and we encourage family members to sit in.
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Ready when you are
NovaMed Pharmacy is on Hastings Street in Burnaby Heights. Start your refill or transfer now and we will have everything ready.