Our Pharmacy department is an important part of your health care team. Our pharmacists encourage you to:
Use Medicine Safely During Your Hospital Stay
When you or a loved one is in the hospital, here are some tips to help keep you safe:
Tell your doctor and pharmacist all the medicines you take.
- Bring a medicine list with the names of:
- Medicines prescribed by your doctors
- Medicines you bought at a drug or grocery store (like medicines for pain or a cold)
- Vitamins, and herbs or nutritional supplements
- You can find a medication list at www.SafeMedication.com/MyMedicineList
Tell your doctor and pharmacist what you can’t take.
- Your medicine list should also include:
- Medicines that you should not take (because of allergies or other problems)
- Other allergies you have (to things like peanuts, shellfish, or latex)
Watch out for:
- Any changes in your medicine when you get your medicines each day, like a different color or shape
- Any reactions or side effects that the doctor or pharmacist didn’t tell you about
Ask your doctor or pharmacist:
- The name of any medicine you are given or asked to take
- About anything that you don’t understand or that doesn’t seem right
- For information about your medicines in writing. This way you have something to refer to later
- If you have any questions about your medicine, ask to talk to a pharmacist
Get help:
- Ask a family member or friend to help you. This person can ask questions for you and help you to speak up.
Pharmacists are an important part of your health care team.
To find out more about pharmacists, visit www.SafeMedication.com.
*If you have any questions about your medicine while you are in the hospital, ask to talk to a pharmacist.