Hospice care is a special type of health care service that focuses on improving the patient’s quality of life. This type of care is provided to terminally ill patients and attends to their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. A patient’s hospice care team is comprised of nurses, social workers, doctors, and pharmacists to provide prescription refills and more.
As a trusted pharmacy in California, we will break down the pharmacist’s unique role in hospice:
- Consultation and Education
Throughout hospice care, pharmacists can evaluate medication and treatment options to determine the cost, potential side effects, and emerging safety information. When medication shortages occur, they can find alternatives and appropriate substitutions to alleviate stress. - Appropriate Use of Medication
A hospice pharmacy continually assesses the appropriateness of medication orders to ensure the patient receives safe, effective care. An essential part of hospice is pain management, so effective use of medications is crucial. This is especially true for pain medications which can be subject to numerous sound-alike or look-alike names that can cause serious harm. - Preparation and Dispensing of Medication
Patients diagnosed with terminal illnesses usually require non-standard doses that are not available commercially. A pharmacist’s role is to formulate preparations that can meet the individual patient’s unique needs.
Poly-Med Pharmacy is a reputable specialty pharmacy in Northridge, California. We offer superior pharmaceutical solutions and specialize in hospice and home health care services. Reach out to us for your pharmacy-related questions and concerns.