***Consulting Pharmacists

If you are taking many medications, consider consulting a pharmacist.
Every time a physician sees my mother, she seems to get another medication. Even she thinks she is taking "too many pills." Fortunately, I discovered an innovative service that I hope will become commonplace.

An experienced pharmacist reviewed her health problems, lab tests, and medications and visited her at her home. The pharmacist discussed her medications, made suggestions, and followed up with a written report. Results included changing the time of day for taking some of the medications and suggesting an alte
ative medication with fewer side effects.

I do not receive any consideration from the organization, Medicine Cabinet Consultants. I just was so impressed I wanted to spread the word. Their focus is on serving seniors in the
Columbus, Ohio area. Lauri Wolf, RPh, the Director of Operations, told me she knows pharmacists around the country to whom she could refer for comparable services.

The consulting pharmacists typically have regular jobs and do the consults because it is an opportunity to fulfill the kind of purpose they imagined in graduate school. This also explains how they could afford to charge a modest fee, $145, for several hours’ work. Currently, Medicare does not cover such services. It would probably be cost effective for Medicare to cover the service.

Most of us wouldn't consider surgery without of second opinion. Those who take several medications would be wise to get a second opinion on medications.