Reconciling Medication
By: Gretchen Bolander
Updated: February 17, 2011
It could be blood thinners or drugs for diabetes. They help keep you healthy most days, but could cause problems if you need treatment for other health problems.
Dr. Kyle Kennedy is the medical director for Emergency Services for Freeman Health System. He said it "may interact or negate some of the medication they're on and have potential bad side effects."
Dr. Kennedy says the rule of thumb is to always keep a complete and accurate list of all medications you're taking. Linda Dean is Freeman's Director for Clinical Operations and agrees. "If they want to put their meds in a brown paper bag and bring them, that is fine. I know they think we would think that's silly but it's not."
It's easier to share the list when the hospital visit is planned. But if you're there unexpectedly, it can be tough to come up with the full list. Added Dean, "It could shorten their length of stay."
And doctors need specifics for every medication on the list. Dean said, "But we need the name of the drugs, the dose of the drug. And we need how many times a day they take it. It's nice to know how long they've been on it in case what they come in with may be a symptom of having problems with a new drug."
