Get To Know Your Pharmacist!
Your doctor asks where you want your prescription sent. You think, "just send it to any pharmacy that is closest to my home”. Many people think the same way.
Do you realize a patient visits a pharmacy an average of 35 times per year compared to just 4 visits to see medical providers? What so many people don’t realize is how much of an advantage it is to have a good and healthy relationship with your pharmacist. This relationship can prove to be a huge health benefit that is good for your body, mind and wallet.
I work for Hometown Pharmacy and not only do I check for drug interactions, but I also check to see if the medicine prescribed is:
• The right drug for your condition
• The proper dosage
• Compatible with renal and liver function.
Personally, as a pharmacist, I have caught many potentially life altering issues with patients and their prescriptions. Not too long ago, I had a patient with a prescription for an antibiotic. After filling the prescription, I was talking to the patient and asked if she has any heart rhythm issues (because this particular antibiotic can affect a person’s heart rhythm). She said she was recently diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat and had to go through some testing. The urgent care doctor was unaware of this recent diagnosis. After consulting with the physician, he changed the prescription to a better alternative that did not have this effect. Due to our educational differences, doctors are better at diagnosing a disease and pharmacists are best with respect to drug knowledge and its pharmacological reactions. This is one of many examples of the benefit of working with a pharmacist that takes the time to get to know you.
Many drugs also induce depletion of nutrients in our body. For example statin drugs such as Atorvastatin, Simvastatin and Pravastatin deplete Coenzyme Q10, a proenzyme produced in the body that plays a critical role in energy (ATP) production. It is a powerful antioxidant and protects cells, organs, and tissue from oxidative stress damage.
Proton Pump Inhibitors such as Omeprazole, Lansoprazole and Pantoprazole deplete Beta-Carotene, B12, Magnesium, Folic Acid, Calcium, Zinc and Iron. These depletions can lead to unwanted side effects and future complications. In our busy world, this can be so easily overlooked by many healthcare professionals. Hometown pharmacists are trained to guide you to the proper supplementation to counteract this depletion.
To me, as a pharmacist, the gratification of making a difference starts by coming out from behind the counter and taking the time to get to know my patients. Come experience the Hometown difference.
Carey grew up in Three Lakes, WI helping her father after school and on weekends at his independent pharmacy. This is where she learned how valuable it is to have a relationship with your pharmacist. Since graduating from Drake University in December 1995, Casey's entire career has been spent working in an independent pharmacy setting. She truly feels she makes a difference in her customers' health & well-being by getting to know them personally.
Carey has been married to her husband, Dan, for almost 24 years and they have 2 children in college, Alison and Nolan. When not helping her patients, Carey enjoys reading, spending time with her dogs, or traveling to places where she can snorkel, ski and hike!
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