Using Medications Safely

Think about the last time you purchased health insurance. You probably did some research, made some comparisons and asked lots of questions.

What about the last time you had a prescription filled? Did you know the name and strength of the medication before you handed the prescription to the pharmacist? Did you talk with your doctor or pharmacist about possible side effects? About what to do if you missed a dose?

The fact is, medication errors do occur. The more you know about the medications you use, the more likely they are to help you and not hurt you.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to understanding what causes medication errors. It also provides strategies for decreasing error to the health care community, policy makers, and the public.

We applaud the efforts of the many pharmacies in Michigan that have participated in ISMP’s survey to help establish a national baseline of efforts to improve patient safety.

The ISMP website has a Consumer Alert section with many helpful topics, such as:

• Key questions to ask your pharmacist, such as “Does this interact with my other medications or any foods?” and “Does this replace anything else I was taking?”
• Safe medication tips to use at home, at the hospital, and at doctor’s office.
• How to avoid dosing errors with information such as “What is a ‘dropperful’”?
• Common drug name mix-ups, like Zyrtec and Zantac, or Flomax and Volmax.

For more information, visit the ISMP website.