A Day I’ll Always Remember: St. Louis Pharmacist Publishes a Go-To Guide for Healthy Aging
I describe myself as kind of intense. I am very goal oriented. I want to get things done and get them done well. “Maybe It’s Your Medications” is now a published book. It has been my focus for quite some time. Finally, the hard work has paid off; it is published and available for purchase. My friends and colleagues know that this moment is the culmination of many years of focusing on a goal and working steadily to achieve it.
My experience in working with older adults in their homes to review and evaluate drug therapy—touching hundreds if not thousands of patients and family members over the years—has informed me of the many types of errors and issues that can occur. This includes issues surrounding the use of both prescription and nonprescription medications.
I always say that no one intends for problems or errors to happen. But they do happen. Medications when used or prescribed inappropriately, can lead to serious negative outcomes. Things like extra doctor visits, added drug therapy, a trip to the emergency department, and even hospitalization. It is estimated that nearly two-thirds of medication-related problems are preventable. Preventable. We need to lean in, stand up, and do something about this.
I was able to celebrate today’s book launch with a live interview on one of St. Louis’ morning television news shows—a big shout out to Margie Ellisor and the Fox 2 Now team. I am grateful to share this book, this tool, with the world. I hope it will jump-start the conversation. We need to talk about medications and how they fit into the bigger picture of our health and well-being, rather than simply continue to add them to our growing medicine lists.
Happy Reading!
Written by Hedva Barenholtz Levy, PharmD, BCPS, BCGP
July 25, 2023
This material is intended to encourage discussion with your health care provider. It is informational only and does not replace the guidance of your health care team.
