They come in all sorts of shapes, colors and sizes. Whether it’s a pill you swallow, a liquid you drink, a shot you take or a patch you wear, prescription medications are used regularly by nearly half of all Americans. “Many people don’t know the medications they are on and it can make it more challenging to treat them,” says Mark Bonneville, MD, Emergency Department Medical Director at New River Medical Center.
Avoiding medication mistakes
Medication mistakes can be avoided when you practice medication safety. Medication safety includes knowing the names of your medications and what they treat, asking your physician and pharmacist questions, reading labels and following directions, keeping your physician informed of the medications and supplements you’re taking and carrying a list of your medications with you.
Know the name and dosage
“Knowing what a pill looks like or what is written on it doesn’t tell us what the medication is,” says Dr. Bonneville. “We need to know a specific name and medication dosage.”
Medication lists are easy to make.
Print a copy of the Medication Safety List and write down information, including the specific name and dosage, on the medications and supplements you’re taking. Keep a copy of your Medication Safety List in your home and always carry a copy with you in your wallet or purse.
Carry a Medication Safety List
“It’s important for patients to know the names of their medications, the dose, what it’s for, common side effects and how it will help them,” says Dr. Bonneville. “Carrying a medication list will greatly improve a patient’s care.”
Tips for maintaining your Medication Safety List
- Always keep your Medication Safety List with you. Carry it in your wallet or purse. Then it will be available in case of an emergency.
- Write down all of the medications you are taking.
- Take your Medication Safety List to all doctor and hospital visits.
- Write down all changes to your medications on your list. If you stop taking a medication, draw a line through it and write down the date it was stopped.
- Ask your doctor, nurse, pharmacist or family members to help you keep it up to date.
Why do I need a Medication Safety List?
- Your Medication Safety List helps you and your family members remember all the medications you are taking.
- Your Medication Safety List will provide your doctor with a current list of all your medications. Be sure to include prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, vitamins and herbals.