In the United States and around the world, there is compelling evidence that patients are not taking their medicines as prescribed, resulting in significant consequences. Lack of medication adherence leads to unnecessary disease progression, disease complications, reduced functional abilities, a lower quality of life, and even death.
"We are seeing more and more folks end up in the hospital on multiple and often unnecessary medications because they don't have a medical home or a primary care physician who is managing their medications," said Susan Lam, PharmD, a clinical pharmacist at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. "We also see a number of patients who do not take their prescribed medications because they cannot afford to fill the prescriptions. Both scenarios can have devastating consequences."
As part of the hospital's efforts to support the communities in and around Katy, Memorial Hermann Katy's pharmacy team is offering free pharmacy consultations to the general public. The consultations will be performed by a registered pharmacist who will review the patient's medications, offer suggestions to reduce the number of medications or change to less expensive alternatives, and suggest ways for patients to take an active role in managing their medications to receive the optimal health benefits.
The first opportunity to have a free pharmacy consultation is Friday, March 5 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Tiger A Conference Room at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital. Attendees must register for a consultation by calling 713.222.CARE (2273).
Attendees will need to bring the following items with them to the hospital:
Following the consultation, attendees will leave with a comprehensive list of their medications and knowledge of each medication's purpose, use, and frequency, how to get the most health benefit from their medications and how to manage them, and resources for support.
For more information or to register for a consultation, call 713.222.CARE (2273).