ADVERTORIAL
Why carry an up-to-date list of your MEDS? YOUR LIST CAN SPEAK FOR YOU WHEN YOU CAN’T By MARYANNE PANKHURST
Too bad the advertising slogan: Don’t leave home without it is already taken. Because in an era when the average Canadian over 50 may be on multiple meds for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, diabetes and arthritis, there isn’t a healthcare worker on the planet who wouldn’t welcome a patient’s up-to-date list of medications. And this is precisely why Dr. Ronald Tremblay – head of Cornwall’s Academy of Medicine – supports the local advertising campaign that will run throughout 2014 and which is sponsored by Medical Arts Pharmacy. Dr. Tremblay says an up-to-date list of meds that includes information about drug allergies is beneficial for healthcare workers and patients alike. And in situations like 9-1-1 emergencies a list could even help save a life. Dr. Tremblay’s statement is echoed by Chris Hood president of the Paramedic Association of Canada who says there are many instances where patients are unable to communicate their medical history or what medications they’re on. And he says that in some cases, a person may be so sick they may not be able to speak at all. “In a medical emergency, every minute counts,” says Hood. “A list could give paramedics vital information for making safe and appropriate decisions during a crisis.” This idea of an emergency is a sobering one for local resident Barb
McLean who opens a kitchen cupboard to show me how it’s stocked (for her and her husband) with everything from NeoCitran and nitroglycerine to puffers, patches, prednisolone and Vitamin D. Barb’s husband also suffers from Alzheimer’s. “I’m the one who
one pharmacy, keeping one’s list current, and telling one’s spouse, family member or caregiver where the list is kept: “All to often, people ‘imagine’ that healthcare workers know what medications a person is
taking. But that’s not the case. So the list is critical. It can prevent harm.” And Turple illustrates the point with a story about a woman admitted to hospital through the emergency department where staff was unaware the woman was taking a blood-thinning medication to prevent stroke. Days later the patient herself woke up and said: “I think I need my blood thinner.” Likewise, physician Michel Girard, who has extensive experience in emergency medicine, including working at the Cornwall Community
has to speak for him now, and I’ve been in many situations where I have to take whole shopping bags of medication and supplements to appointments. I honestly don’t know what I’d do if something happened while we’re out and I don’t have the bags with me. I can’t even pronounce the names of half the medications,“ Barb says. So Barb agrees it would be easier and safer to carry a list than a shopping bag. Pharmacist Jennifer Turple – from her office in Nova Scotia where she works as a medication
In a medical emergency, every minute counts. A list could give paramedics vital information for making safe and appropriate decisions during a crisis.”
Chris Hood President of the Paramedic Association of Canada
Hospital, speaks passionately about the value of an up-to- date list. “Can you imagine the difficulty trying to assess and diagnose a person who has arrived in emerge, who is in a coma and we have no idea if the patient has diabetes or is on medication? The point I’m trying to make is that an up-to-date med list makes a huge difference in the accuracy, speed, and safety of the intervention I must choose to save a life.”
safety specialist with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada (ISMP Canada) – knows many stories that illustrate the kind of situations people like Barb can end up in. So Turple is delighted to learn about the campaign: “It’s a fabulous message.” But she adds that it isn’t just the list that’s important, it’s also about dealing with
Q & A
Q: Why should you ask your pharmacist for a free Med List? A: Most people cannot easily recall the names, strengths and doses of their meds. A: There are thousands of different medications. Telling a healthcare worker, ”I take a blood pressure medication,” is helpful but specific not enough. A: The generic (or chemical) names of medications can be difficult for some to remember and pronounce. Consider: mometasone furoate monohydrate (nasal
spray); timolol maleate (eye drops); metformin hydrochloride (blood sugar control); atorvastatin (cholesterol lowering) etc.
A: A Med List can greatly improve communication with healthcare workers. A: A Med List will help save time and reduce possible errors or harm to patients. A: A Med List can speak for you when you can’t.
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