Pharmacy Perspectives: 4 Things All Patients Should Know

As a pharmacy technician, it's important to educate patients about how medications affect the body. It is a big responsibility working in a pharmacy; everything you do as a technician affects someone's life - someone's child, someone's mother. I approach my work with that in my mind at all times.

Every patient who comes into a pharmacy, whether a large retail chain or a local neighborhood store, needs to know they have responsibilities when it comes to managing their healthcare. Every pharmacy professional puts many hours into being educated and each person cares deeply for the patients who come through the pharmacy doors.

What you need to know as a pharmacy patient...

1. Know your prescription benefits. Knowledge is power and the more you know about your prescription benefits makes you better informed. If you have a prescription deductible, this is charged on top of your co-pay until the deductible is met. Your deductible starts over at the beginning of every year (or fiscal year in some cases). For example, if you usually pay $20 for a prescription and it cost $95 in January, the $75 deductible has been applied to your prescription. You can answer so many questions of your own by knowing your benefits in and out.

2. Update your information. The pharmacy needs a current address and telephone number on file. If you change jobs or your job changes insurance plans, update your pharmacy. Many pharmacies use your personal information to verify your identity when you come to pick up medications. If the information is old, it makes the transaction a little more difficult for you and the pharmacy staff. The worst time to update information is when you aren't feeling well and just want to go home and rest. Plan ahead and keep the pharmacy informed of changes.

3. Stick to one pharmacy for prescriptions. Most pharmacies document medical conditions into their computer systems. Believe it or not, some medications can complicate a condition or create dangerous drug interactions. If you use several different pharmacies to fill prescriptions, the pharmacist may miss something important that can be very dangerous for your health.