Can Your Pharmacist Save You A Trip To The Doc? | Paul Bowman

Ever wandered what a pharmacist really does or can do for you?!? This post will cover it all!

Pharmacists are the most knowledgeable health care professional when it comes to medication – we spend at a minimum 4 years in University learning and understanding all major body systems, how they are affected by disease and how medications work in the body.

Every time you drop off a prescription at our counter we check the following to ensure your safety:

  1. The medication that has been prescribed is appropriate for the condition being treated
  2. The dose of medication prescribed is appropriate based on age/weight
  3. That the medication prescribed does not negatively interact with other medications you may be taking
  4. You don’t have any allergies that could make this medication a poor choice for you.

We will also make sure you know what to expect when you take the medication – namely how long you might be expected to wait until you notice improvements in your condition and also make you aware of some of the more common side effects that might occur when taking your medication.

We will also follow up with you after you have started a new medication to make sure things are working as expected and if there are any issues we can discuss options at that time.

Pharmacists have always done this but over the course of the last 5-10 years the scope of practice – that is what pharmacists are legally able to do – has expanded.  The scope of practice varies between provinces but in New Brunswick there are many ways your pharmacist can help you above and beyond talking with you about your medication.

1. Injection Services

Pharmacists can administer a variety of vaccines for you and your family.  Most commonly would be the role we play with the annual flu vaccine but I routinely prescribe and administer vaccines for travel health – hepatitis A and hepatitis B, as well as vaccines to prevent shingles and HPV.  I also commonly administer Vit B injections to patients on a monthly basis.

2. Assessment of Minor Conditions

Pharmacists can assess and if appropriate prescribe for a variety of minor conditions.  This can save you time waiting for a doctor appointment or prevent unnecessary waits in the ER.

We are not currently able to bill Medicare for these assessments so they often involve a fee that the patient must pay.  While there are 32 minor conditions that pharmacists can assess and prescribe for here are a list of the most common conditions that I treat in my practice setting:

  1. Uncomplicated Urinary Tract infections in Women
  2. Allergic reactions/hives
  3. Fungal infections of the skin
  4. Pinworms
  5. Cold sores
  6. Oral thrush
  7. Impetigo
  8. Sore throat
  9. Indigestion

So, we will always be here to help you with your medication needs, your questions about over the counter products, including vitamins and minerals and will always be available to offer general lifestyle advice on exercise and healthy eating but your pharmacist can also do more for you and your family!

We look forward to helping you and your family with your needs as much as we can within our scope of practice/knowledge.  We will always try and help if we can but will always refer to your physician or other healthcare professional if it is warranted or beyond the scope of what we can offer.

For any questions related to you or your family’s  health and prescription needs please feel free to stop by Bowman’s Pharmasave or send me a message via FB where I would be happy to help.

Until next month……

Paul

Bowman’s Pharmasave | 506.206.7977 | Follow us on Facebook!

MEET PAUL BOWMAN

Paul was born and raised in Ellon, Scotland, located just outside the city of Aberdeen. He completed his Masters of Pharmacy at Robert Gordons University. After working in Stirling, Scotland for a year as a staff pharmacist, he was recruited to work for a short term in Alberta as a pharmacist.  What was supposed to be a two year stay in Canada has turned into 14 years, and he was thrilled to become a Canadian citizen in 2016.

Paul has a passion for customer service having been in the service industry in one form or another since the age of 14.  Paul loves helping patients find ways to improve their health and ensure they thrive.  Paul will ensure that all patients and customers receive a great customer experience along with all the expert advice and guidance you would expect from your pharmacy team.

Paul and his wife Lindsay decided to make Fredericton their permanent home in 2015.  They instantly fell in love with the city, the friendliness of the people, recreation amenities and the charming downtown core with all its great restaurants and shops.

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