Why Use HbL PharmaConsulting?
Older adults are a special population with regards to medications because they are at increased risk of having drug interactions and side effects. Patient education about medications, proper monitoring, and careful drug selection are ways to prevent medication-related problems. A face to face medication consultation held in a private, unhurried environment can help reduce the risk of medication-related problems.
- HbL PharmaConsulting provides a unique opportunity to critically look at all the medicines a person takes.
- The goal of the consultations is to identify potential or actual medication-related problems and reassure patients (and their families) about how to take their medicines and why they are prescribed.
- Consultations include a review not only of prescription medicines, but nonprescription and supplement use, too.
- Consultations include education about non-drug strategies to manage certain health conditions, such as modifications to diet or physical activity.
In short, HbL PharmaConsulting is a resource to enhance medication effectiveness, safety, and peace of mind for you or your loved one, as described below.
To enhance or improve effectiveness of medicines
There are many reasons why medicines might not be effective. Prescription and nonprescription drugs might interact with another drug or with a health condition. In turn, this could render a medicine less effective or possibly ineffective. A careful patient interview and review of all the medicines a person takes can identify important interactions that might block the effectiveness of a drug.
Patients often do not take their medications as instructed by the doctor. Sometimes the patient does not know he is taking the drug incorrectly; the patient may never have been told the right instructions, or the instructions may be unclear. Other times, the patient may choose to not follow the instructions because of side effects, cost, or other reasons.
Interactions or not following medication instructions can lead to serious consequences including unnecessary and unplanned doctor visits, added prescriptions, hospitalization, and sometimes the inability to continue living independently. HbL PharmaConsulting works with the patient and physician to identify and overcome barriers that reduce drug therapy effectiveness.
To promote the safe use of medicines in combination
Carefully prescribed medicines that work well alone may be harmful when taken in combination. The more medicines a person takes, the greater the risk of an interaction or side effect. When more than one doctor is prescribing medicines for a person, this further increases the risk of having duplicated or interacting medicines. Older patients are especially at risk of interactions and increased side effects.
• 80% of patients older than 65 have at least one chronic illness, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or glaucoma.
• Older adults take an average of 4 to 9 prescribed medications daily; many take much more.
• Over 50% of older adults use nonprescription products regularly; most do not talk to a health care professional when choosing or using these products.
Unintended or undesirable effects of medicines can lead to unplanned doctor visits, added prescriptions, or even hospitalization if the effect is serious. Many, but not all, of the potential negative effects of drugs are preventable with careful monitoring, education, and drug selection. A review of all of the medicines a person takes is an important step to preventing interactions, adverse events, and other medication-related problems.
For peace of mind about medications that you or a loved one takes
Medicine has advanced greatly in the past few decades. People are living longer and with more chronic conditions. As a result, more medications are prescribed to manage those conditions. With so many medications on the market today, knowing which ones are best, which ones interact, or which ones are a better choice for older adults can become a great challenge.
The expertise of a Geriatric Pharmacist and Pharmacotherapy Specialist provides reassurance to patients and their families about how to correctly take medicines, watch for side effects, and identify important health concerns. In addition, HbL PharmaConsulting serves as a patient advocate, by helping patients communicate with their physicians about important medication and related health issues. Clients receive a face-to-face, comprehensive medication review with a written report tailored to their needs. In this way, patients have greater confidence about the medications they take, how to take them safely and correctly, and what questions to ask their doctor about.