Sitting at the top of this impressive list is Dr. Nadia Ahmad, PharmD. Ahmad works as a dispensing pharmacist for Walgreens in Middlesboro, KY. She is cited for exemplary leadership, customer care and for her support for mental health issues, writing a book about being a pharmacist, and even incorporating a successful pet medication aspect of the pharmacy. 

The Pharmacy 50 program was launched in 2021 by The Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN). According to Todd Eury, CEO and founder of PPN, the program is designed to recognize individuals that have had a significant impact on the thoughts, behaviors and accomplishments of others in pharmacy. Honorees come from a variety of practice backgrounds and are elected via a social media campaign that allows people to vote for leaders they know in 14 categories, such as: health system, retail chain, independent community, association management, academia, entrepreneurs and others. Eury says he feels the scope and format of the Pharmacy 50 programs makes it possible both pharmacist and non-pharmacist professionals to be honored. He adds, “I think this makes the Pharmacy 50 program the most inclusive awards program in the industry.” 

Here’s the complete list:

1. Nadia Ahmad PharmD 
2. Jay Phipps PharmD
3. Amtus Sami Shafiq PharmD* 
4. Joy Morrow PharmD, Candidate 2024
5. Matt Lewis BA 
6. Shahida Choudhry PharmD
7. Joseph Friedman RPh 
8. Shane Jerominski PharmD
9. Haley McKeefer PharmD, Candidate 2024
10. Ben Heiser PharmD MBA 
11. Sharon Faust PharmD, MBA
12. Patrick Hussey PharmD, MBA 
13. Darshan Kulkarni PharmD, Esq 
14. Aniqa Azad PharmD 
15. Brittany Radomski PharmD 
16. Shannon Reidt PharmD
17. Easton Bryant PharmD 
18. Libby Shelton PharmD, RPh
19. Ilisa Bernstein PharmD 
20. Nhu Truong PharmD 
21. Kenneth O’Shea PharmD
22. Eric Huckins PharmD 
23. David Randolph BS Pharm
24. Bled Tanoe PharmD
25. Jill Boyett PharmD
26. Nadia Malik PharmD
27. Tamar Lawful PharmD
28. Courtney B. Smith PharmD 
29. Jessica Nouhavandi PharmD
30. Fiona Sartoretto Verna 
31. Josh Pirestani BS 
32. Myla Marshall PharmD, RPh
33. Jesica Mills PharmD 
34. Reuben Saba PhD
35. Sue Ojageer PharmD
36. Olivia Buckoski PharmD 
37. Daniel Bundrick RPh 
38. Hussam Hamoush PharmD 
39. Shaun Jensen BS
40. Chris Antypas PharmD 
41. Janan Sarwar PharmD 
42. Lisa Faast PharmD 
43. Robert Kress BS Pharm 
44. Sammy Yafai PharmD MBA 
45. Tara Schneider PharmD 
46. Lindsay Dymowski Constantino PharmD
47. Behnaz Sarrami PharmD
48. DeArcy Vaughan, PharmD, MBA
49. Leslie Banuelos PharmD
50. Nancy Banoub RPh BSc 

A complete list of the Pharmacy 50 can be found at: http://www.Pharmacy50.us
(https://pharmacypodcast.com/2024/01/03/the-50-most-influential-leaders-in-pharmacy-awards-2023/) 

Michael Houge, EVP and CEO of the American Pharmacist Association had this to say about one of his colleagues and this year’s honorees coming in the 19th position, Senior Vice President Dr. Ilisa Bernstein PharmD: “The profession is fortunate to have such a strong advocate at work every day fighting for our profession. Ilisa’s dynamic, collaborative and inclusive approach to addressing some of the toughest challenges facing our profession in the federal and state regulatory world has a significant impact on pharmacists and pharmacies. I’m delighted she’s been recognized in this way.” 

Eury is excited that this year, Cardinal Health and the Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC) joined in as program sponsors. He says, “the extra promotional support these two companies provided generated a 300% increase in the number of votes cast.” He added that the financial support they provided made it possible for PPN to host a formal Awards Ceremony at their corporate headquarters in Brownsville, PA scheduled for Wednesday January 17th at 12:30PM ET. The event will be streaming live on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Facebook. 

Darren Thieding, Chief Operating Officer at Independent Pharmacy Cooperative (IPC) commented: “The excellence demonstrated by the winners of the Pharmacy 50 awards should give everyone confidence that pharmacy is poised to succeed in 2024 and beyond. With such great operators, healthcare professionals, and innovators at the helm we can work collectively towards tackling and overcoming the challenge of moving the industry forward. IPC is proud to be a partner in recognizing the excellent work done by these award winners.”

Eury adds, the mission of PPN is to provide a diverse mix of podcast hosts and programs for all aspects of the profession. PPN, which currently features more than 40 podcast hosts, is the largest podcast program dedicated specifically to the pharmacy industry and was first launched in March of 2009. Eury adds that the podcasts are downloaded more than 100,000 times each month. 

Plans are already underway to expand and improve, The 50 Most Influential Leaders in Pharmacy, with elections scheduled for December 2024.

Media Contact: Todd Eury, CEO, Publisher@PharmacyPodcast.com (412) 585-4001

About Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN): The Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN) is the industry’s largest and most trusted source for pharmacy-related podcasts, providing education, information, and thought leadership for pharmacists and healthcare professionals. PPN’s mission is to inspire, educate, and connect pharmacy professionals across the globe, promoting innovation and excellence within the field of pharmacy.

SOURCE Pharmacy Podcast Network

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What does it mean to be Influential in the Pharmacy Profession?

To be influential in pharmacy means to have the power to influence or shape the opinions, actions, or policies of others within our profession and throughout healthcare ecosystems. The Pharmacy 50 recognizes an individual that has a significant impact on the thoughts, behaviors, or decisions of others within pharmacy. Our Top 50 Influencers have all created positive energy and impact throughout pharmacy in many different ways, such as through leadership, advocacy, persuasion, and the sharing of ideas and information to help transform pharmacy care. Ultimately these Top 50 Pharmacy Professionals are impacting people’s lives through their work, missions, and passion. 

The Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN); the first podcast about the profession of pharmacy, is proud to announce the winners of the 2nd Annual 50 Most Influential Leaders in Pharmacy Awards. The PPN launched the awards program in 2021 to recognize people who’ve made their mark through innovation, momentum, and distinction throughout the pharmacy profession. This list of Rising Stars, Innovators, Trailblazers, Visionaries, and Leaders have been recognized for 2022.

“It’s thrilling that we had a 900% increase in voter participation from the ignugral Pharmacy 50 Awards program last year.” commented Todd Eury, CEO of the Pharmacy Podcast Network and awards creator,  “The people on this list are extraordinary & are an example of how pharmacy is drastically transforming to become more customized & patient focused. We hope these award winners will inspire others throughout the pharmacy profession & healthcare to keep innovating.” 

’50 Most Influential Leaders in Pharmacy’ sets out to inspire and advocate for the pharmacy profession and recognizing people in the pharmacy industry making a significant impact to pharmacy care. The list was developed based on votes collected during the month of December 2022 by industry peers. The number of votes were totaled for each nominee and listed in order of number of votes 1 through 50. The categories listed to pick from associated with the nominee were Independent Community Pharmacy, LTC Pharmacy, Specialty Pharmacy, Health System, Medical Science Liaison, Consultant Pharmacy, Pharmacy Advocacy, Technology, Academia, and Regulatory Affairs. 

2022 ‘Pharmacy 50’ Award Winners

1. Brian Leonard, PharmD
2. Alysa Vereen, PharmD
3. Mariya Farooqi, PharmD 
4. Antonio Ciaccia
5. Shahida Choudry PharmD 
6. Cecelia Byers, PharmD 
7. Tara Newton Schneider, PharmD  
8. Mary Douglass Smith, PharmD 
9. Bled Tanoe, PharmD 
10. Salematou Traore-Uwalaka, PharmD  
11. Lisa Faast, PharmD 
12. Jamie Wilkey, PharmD 
13. Jabeen Ahmed, PharmD 
14. Loretta Boesing
15. Theresa Tolle, RPh 
16. Jessica Nouhavandi, PharmD 
17. Kyle McCormick, PharmD 
18. Chris Antypas, PharmD 
19. AJ Loiacono
20. Anthony Minniti, PharmD 
21. Mark Garofoli, PharmD 
22. Shawn Bjorndal, PharmD  
23. Jason Mordino, PharmD 
24. Behnaz Sarrami, PharmD 
25. Christina Fontana, PharmD 
26. Steve Moore, PharmD 
27. Kenneth Oshea, PharmD  
28. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, RPh 
29. Adam Robinson, PharmD 
30. Anne  Arvizu, PharmD 
31. Ken Thai, PharmD 
32. Mayank Amin, PharmD 
33. Christina Madison, PharmD 
34. Kevin DeMass, RPh 
35. Blair Thielemier, PharmD 
36. Jay Holloway, PharmD 
37. Parisa “Risa” Vatanka, PharmD 
38. Swathi Varanasi, PharmD 
39. Delon Canterbury, PharmD 
40. Gabrielle Pierce Cranford, PharmD 
41. Nishaminy Kasbekar, PharmD 
42. Scott Kjelson, PharmD 
43. Melissa Murer Corrigan
44. Darshan Kulkarni, PharmD Esq 
45. Sara Izadi, PharmD 
46. Ramita Tandon
47. Ethan Melillo, PharmD 
48. Robin Barrett, PharmD 
49. John Kim, PharmD  
50. Phil Cowley, Rph 

To learn more about the #Pharmacy50 – the TOP 50 Most Influential Leaders in Pharmacy please visit pharmacypodcast.com/news/

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Among those with the most significant risk are older Americans with chronic conditions. From the earliest stages of the pandemic until now, COVID hospitalizations have been six times higher and deaths 12 times higher for people with underlying medical (i.e., non-communicable diseases – NCDs) conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or chronic lung disease. Currently, 81% of COVID deaths occur in people over age 65. The number of deaths among people over age 65 is 97 times higher than that among people ages 18-29. It’s a dangerous situation that we can overcome if we prepare before the next pandemic wave.

COVID + Diabetes = Serious Risk

For example, consider the brutal truth about one of the deadliest comorbidities in COVID at-risk communities: diabetes.

• Diabetes disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority populations. Compared with white adults, the risk of having a diabetes diagnosis is 77% higher among African Americans, 66% higher among Latinos/Hispanics, and 18% higher among Asian Americans
• Diabetes prevalence is approximately 17% higher in rural areas than in urban areas, with studies showing that rural adults were more likely to report a diagnosis of diabetes than urban counterparts
• Some 33% of adults aged 65 or older have pre- or Type 2 diabetes. This age group is more at risk of developing diabetes-related complications like low blood sugar, kidney failure, and heart disease than younger people.

The scale of this patient challenge is immense. Approximately 84 million adults — more than 1 in 3 Americans — have prediabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 90% of people with prediabetes do not know they have it; neither do they know that if left unchecked, it may lead to Type 2 diabetes.

Though its symptoms are subtle, prediabetes is insidious, and as with elevated blood pressure and high cholesterol, it can quickly become deadly. Add another pandemic into the mix, and we know where our subsequent waves of hospitalizations and deaths will come from: seniors, people of color, and rural Americans. We are not prepared, but if we recognize the risk and mobilize health professionals now, we will save lives later.

Further complicating our ability to address this threat is our disregard for prediabetes. For many people, prediabetes means, “Whew! I don’t have diabetes.” But prediabetes requires critical intervention and requires patients to change their behavior. Public health leaders must organize payers, patient groups, and providers – especially pharmacists and long-term care pharmacists – and that must happen before the next pandemic hits. We must get smarter and faster and not wait until the coffins pile up.

Primary Care Has A Change of Address

While this pressing public health threat becomes more urgent, our front-line defense, primary care, undergoes retreat in some cases and fundamentally changes to a retail pharmacy setting in others. These changes may presage increased access to care for some. Conversely, it could allow older patients to fall through the cracks in the face of the growing threat of non-communicable illnesses such as diabetes.

Historically, primary care providers diagnosed, treated, and engaged these consumers. Can walk-in services alleviate people’s ongoing care burden and be ready for the next pandemic?  Corporate and clinical leaders of the mega-chains and community retail pharmacies retail must rally these sites to be front-line communicators regarding non-communicable illnesses, especially prediabetes. Pharmacies are no longer just locations where you can grab a jab – an immunization, vaccine, or booster. Pharmacists will need greater input and support as we go forward and face emerging pandemics.

The ability to walk into a CVS MinuteClinic, Walgreen Health Corner, or Walmart Health for primary care is a win for access to manage pressing health needs. But will ongoing, long-term preventive care — featuring a plan for wellness care instead of sick care — be addressed at these sites? People “shop around” for medical convenience and not necessarily for provider relationships, another reason retail clinics need to be part of the preventive care solution.

Today, fewer and fewer people have a long-term family physician who tracks their needs and feels responsible for their longevity. The single-practitioner office is now being absorbed into larger practice groups and private practices are vanishing. Without the diagnostic oversight a trusted healthcare provider offers, we are missing an essential link between urgent and specialty care,  prevention and illness,  and prediabetes and diabetes.

Weathering the Storm

It is a perfect storm. Poorer diet, higher sugar intake, and increasingly sedentary lifestyle lead to prediabetes, which isn’t straightforward to diagnose and is often not taken seriously by patients. And, as we have seen, the essential player in defense against the condition — the primary care physician — is beginning to step off the stage.

To meet the challenges posed by diabetes/prediabetes epidemic, the lack of primary care patient support, and the persistent threats posed by COVID and other pandemics which will emerge, we need to consider the following actions:

1. Easy-Access Diagnostics Technologies – Retail pharmacies must ally with point-of-care and home-testing companies such as Babson Diagnostics and ixlayer. Consumers at risk must be empowered to take greater responsibility for their well-being. Give people with NCDs easily accessible tools to be full partners in preventive care.

• Find a Digital Connection – Netflix pings us about movies and TV shows that might attract our interest. Political parties use texts and email to rally the faithful. It’s time health insurance companies and the CDC find creative ways to enter the game using AI and digital health to establish closer relationships with consumers, helping people with diabetes to become aware of and purchase products to address their healthy lifestyle needs. Keeping people alive and well is a mutual interest of insurers and the CDC.
• Deputize Pharmacists:Pharmacists were always able to do much more than give shots, and now primary care nurses and assistants have found a home in retail pharmacies.  CDC and physician associations need to recognize that seniors and people with diabetes increasingly see pharmacy as a go-to for questions, easily accessible solutions, and vaccinations.  The American Pharmacists Association is raising the bar on public health resources.

• Start Talking to People: There is “no one-size fits all” effective way to communicate about COVID-19. The 65+ community faces different risks than the 15-and-under crowd.  People with diabetes and heart disease face heightened risks from COVID.  People of color are often at particular risk for these illnesses, compounded by COVID. The CDC needs to address people’s specific needs and risks better. People are tired of hearing about COVID. They are less worn out from hearing about what matters to their particular interests.

CDC is the target of many critiques right now. More than 80 years ago, British Wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill told the New Statesman: “Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.”  For people in science, failure does not mean the end – it’s the rocket fuel of future success. The CDC will learn from the COVID chapter and return ready for the next viral confrontation.  Our lives depend on its success.

The post Taking On Prediabetes Could be America’s Best Defense Against COVID-19 appeared first on Medika Life.

Championing Frontline Health Professionals Dedicated to Improving Access and Care, PPN Reaches over 100K+ listeners, Pharmacists, and Other Health System Influencers

NEW YORK, November 22, 2021 — Global independent marketing and communications firm FINN Partners today announced that starting December 1st, the Pharmacy Podcast Network (PPN) – a news
organization known for hosting and distribution of content that reaches 100,000+ in the pharmacy community – will join the agency. PPN and its new digital magazine Rx Influencer will operate as a unique unit of FINN, led by Todd Eury, vice president and executive producer. Eury, based in Pittsburgh, PA, will report to Gil Bashe, Global Health Chair, FINN Partners.

“Iconic newsstand media such as Forbes and BusinessWeek are evolving their business models – inviting once-readers to become paid ‘participant columnists’ – while The Atlantic and Wall Street Journal thrive
on edgy digital content and mainstage conferences. Today, ideas and opinions are honed and expressed across medium and channels – and FINN is following that lead, too,” said Peter Finn, Founding Partner,
FINN Partners.

“Pharmacists are central in every health setting – from neighborhoods to hospitals; long-term care residences to payer formulary committees; and in Federal and state policy forums. Payer, provider, and product innovation clients seek to reach this influential community, and PPN has evolved into the go-to content and digital platform for connection to this influential audience,” said Todd Eury, vice president, and Executive Producer, Pharmacy Podcast Network, a FINN division.

Growing Importance of the Pharmacy Community in Public Health

PPN has 100K+ monthly listeners to its programs and is ranked as one of the nation’s leading business audio programs alongside the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Bloomberg podcasts, making it the dominant leader in podcasting for the pharmacy industry. PPN also has some 20+ clients across the health ecosystem that sponsor their own podcast series, including the American Pharmacists Association, Omnicell, Surescripts, and Rx Safe. The PPN Twitter handle is followed by more than 25,000
people.

Producer Todd Eury will be part of the FINN community and continue to operate PPN independently and maintain authority over content decisions. FINN will have a direct connection to breaking trends, policies, and the needs of this front-line health professional community – growing in its importance to driving public health measures and operationalizing decentralized clinical trials for patient participation in drug development.

FINN at the forefront of an “omni-channel” communications approach.

“Beyond our leadership strength in earned and content media, thought leadership platforms, publishing, social media, and podcasting, FINN has been expanding its reach to enable client voice and priorities to be heard and reinforced,” said Gil Bashe, Global Health Chair, FINN Partners. “Our goal is to explore how
to be a stronger, direct bridge between clients and their customers. Pharmacists have that direct connection and demonstrated their life-saving importance once again in responding to COVID-19 vaccination urgencies,” he added.

A number of FINN clients – across Practices, geographies, and services – are focusing on the pharmacy sector for many reasons. These include leaders in consumer personal care, over-the-counter products, behind-the-counter devices to monitor and keep-in-check health concerns, and vaccines that prevent
serious, preventable illnesses. Pharmacy is the link from sick care to self-care.

About Pharmacy Podcast Network

Pharmacy Podcast Nation is the flagship show hosting all of the Pharmacy Podcast Network 1400+ episodes. With more than 30 different podcast programs and some 40 different co-hosts helping to develop audio content about the pharmacy sector, its reach includes communities, hospitals senior-care residences, military, and public health settings that meet the information needs of 300,000 pharmacists with more than 100,000 monthly listeners. PPN also delivers a unique publication called Rx Influencer to all healthcare professionals with a specific focus on pharmacy.

For more information visit: pharmacypodcast.com

About FINN Partners, Inc.

Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, FINN Partners has more than quadrupled in size over the past 10 years, becoming one of the fastest-growing independent, integrated marketing agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company’s record-setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into
the FINN world through a common philosophy. With more than 900 professionals, FINN provides clients with global access and capabilities in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In addition, FINN provides its clients with access to top-tier agencies around the world through its membership in the global network PROI.

Headquartered in New York, FINN’s other offices are in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, Southern California, and Washington D.C.

Find us at finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners.

FINN CONTACTS:
Gil Bashe
gil.bashe@finnpartners.com
CELL: 732 371 0922

Celia Jones
celia.jones@finnpartners.co

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1. We’ve heard your embarrassing question before.

Unless you make a big deal, we likely won’t remember how you once asked us about toenail fungus.

By the time we’ve graduated, we’ve been exposed to all types of questions and scenarios. We have heard the stories about how patients accidentally brushed their teeth with hemorrhoid cream, tried to swallow suppositories, and have been unable to remove tampons.

Those of us working in hospitals have likely experienced trauma patients and death. Although we never get used to it, familiarity does make it easier.

So relax, we would rather you ask us than guess or choose not to treat your condition. We promise not to laugh (unless you want us to).

2. Although we are drug experts, we know about general health conditions too.

Pharmacy school isn’t only studying drugs. We spend the first few semesters on basic anatomy and physiology. Once we know how the body normally functions, then we move on to disease states. Learning what can go wrong helps us to understand how drugs work. Each lesson builds on the other.

So, we will know about chronic disease states like high blood pressure, diabetes, and osteoporosis, and be able to answer questions you may have.

3. Please don’t ask us where the sale items are in the store.

We probably don’t know, and unless it’s a slow day, usually don’t have the time to check for you. And don’t expect us, or the people in line behind you, to appreciate checking out all the items in your cart.

That being said, we don’t mind going into the cold medication aisle and pointing out a few choices since that is within our scope of practice.

4. We’re masterminds at solving insurance issues, but we appreciate your patience.

Every insurance card is a puzzle. Some of them require a zero before the member ID, some want the person code after. Some don’t want the letters, some require a special group number that isn’t on the card. We likely know the major carriers, but sometimes we get thrown for a loop.

We are also used to insurance rejections. “Refill too soon”, “drug not covered”, “prior authorization required”. All of these issues require time to dig into.

Also, please know that we have no control over your copay. Yes, last time it was $20, and now it’s $30. Copays go up all the time. Deductibles start over every year.

If we have billed the insurance, the price comes from them.

5. We will remember if you are rude to us and our technicians.

We see a lot of patients and fill a ton of prescriptions every day. Unless you are a frequent guest, we will likely have forgotten your name five minutes after saying goodbye.

However, we remember the ones that yell. We remember the ones that make unreasonable demands. We remember the ones that try to bully our students and technicians for problems that are out of their control.

We understand that you may be sick and in pain. We know you likely spent hours in the ER or doctor’s office and just want to go home. We’ll give you a pass for that, but we are still human and deserve to be treated with respect.

6. Technicians aren’t pharmacists, don’t ask them drug questions.

Speaking of our technicians, they do a heck of a lot of work. Without them, our pharmacies would implode. They receive special education and training to be able to perform their job.

That being said, save your medication questions for the pharmacist. Legal requirements aside, the pharmacist is the one with 6 plus years of education, residencies, and credentials.

On the flip side, we are extremely busy and if every caller asks to “speak with the pharmacist” just to find out the price of their medication or if it’s ready for pick-up, questions a technician is more than qualified to answer, then we can’t do our work efficiently.

7. We work tirelessly behind the scenes during your hospital stay too.

A pharmacist will review each medication order for every patient who enters the hospital. Just like at the drug store, you can rest assured that we have screened the order against your allergies, checked if the dose is appropriate for your weight and age, and reviewed it for interactions with other medications you may be taking.

Sometimes we even consult with other members of your health care team in determining your treatment plan.

If you have ever received an antibiotic or blood thinner in the hospital, chances are a pharmacist calculated the initial dose and monitored it daily.

8. Don’t bring a grocery bag full of your prescriptions to the hospital.

Patients are not usually allowed to keep medications at the bedside, so guess what will happen to the prescriptions you bring in with you? Your family member will be asked to take them right back home.

The alternative is to have your medications stored in the pharmacy. This means they go into a drawer somewhere in the back corner. The nurse who drops off your medication receives a receipt. It’s up to them (and you) to remember to pick them up at discharge.

You can imagine how many “patient’s own meds” get left behind.

The exception to this rule is if you are taking a rare, brand-new, or essential drug. Hospital pharmacies stock the basics, but we won’t carry everything. If we don’t have it, we will ask a family member to bring it in so it can be continued during your stay.

9. If we don’t have the drug in stock, we will help you find it.

Did your doctor order a medication that we don’t stock? No problem. Chain drug stores are all connected by the same computer system making transferring prescriptions easy.

The same goes for hospital stays. We can call our buddy hospitals and borrow medications from them. A courier will pick up the drug and deliver it to us. Again, we appreciate your patience as this process can take a few hours.

10. We are human.

We have an outstanding assortment of technology at our disposal. Robots fill medications. Barcode scanners ensure the correct bottle of pills is chosen. Electronic prescriptions reduce transcription errors. Automated dispensing machines allow nurses to choose the correct drug at the hospital.

Many sets of eyes see a prescription order from start to finish but remember that the last link in the chain is you.

When you get your refill home, take a moment to look at it. Are the pills the same color and shape as last time? Is it a new prescription? Most pharmacies include descriptions of what the tablet looks like on the bottle’s label. Did the nurse scan your wristband before scanning the medication bar code at the hospital?

All of these steps will help to ensure your safety. Medication mix-ups happen. They can be bad. Help us to prevent them.

11. Doctors’ handwriting really is terrible.

Sometimes we rely on clues in the strength or indication. Sometimes we pass it around and everyone takes a guess. Worst case, we have to call the office. That’s why we are grateful that most prescriptions these days are electronic.

However, electronic doesn’t mean fool-proof. Doctors can still choose an incorrect drug from a drop-down or predictive text list.

That’s another reason you should always ask questions about your prescription. We can determine pretty quickly that the wrong medication was filled if we counsel you on diabetes medication for your earache.

12. We went into this to help others, not for the money.

Even though we sometimes look frazzled and stressed, please know we genuinely want you to understand your medications. We will always take time out for questions, counseling, and concerns.

We went into pharmacy school to be health-care providers, not to drive around in Lamborghinis.

Trust us, the money we are making barely covers the cost of our education. Most of us work more than one job. There are easier ways to make money.

We do it because we care.

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