Our pharmacists are changing lives, one patient at a time

October is American Pharmacists Month. It’s an opportunity to recognize the important role that pharmacists play in health care.

At Express Scripts^® Pharmacy, our 1,000 pharmacists go beyond filling prescriptions. They conduct around 30,000 clinical counseling calls with patients each week, reach out to prescribers when there are questions about dose safety, and so much more.

Here are just a few of the ways our pharmacists are making a difference every day.

Flagging high-risk prescription doses

Many prescriptions come in different strengths or concentrations. It’s important to pay attention to this amount as dispensing the wrong concentration can have serious health consequences.

Registered pharmacist Shannon Hodges found herself faced with this situation when she was reviewing an order for a diabetes patient. She noticed the insulin prescription was twice as concentrated as what the patient had been taking before. So she reached out to the prescriber to confirm.

It turns out the prescription was wrong and the patient needed to continue with her current regimen. Express Scripts^® Pharmacy quickly adjusted the prescription; the prescriber was grateful we caught the error; and the patient continued feeling her best.

Taking the time to explain information clearly

Health care is complicated and pharmacy is no exception. That’s why it’s so important for patients to ask questions — and for pharmacists to provide clear answers that make things easy to understand.

Registered pharmacist Janice Brogan spoke with a patient who had questions about her continuous blood glucose monitor. The patient said she was experiencing big swings in her results and wanted to have better control over her diabetes.

Brogan explained to the patient how to interpret her results and when she may need to re-check with a finger stick. Brogan also took the opportunity to help the patient better understand how insulin works and how her diet may affect her dose.

At the end of the call, the patient said, “You have provided more information on this call than I have received my whole life!”

Providing support and guidance during life’s challenges

Registered pharmacist Astrine Foyou spoke to a caregiver whose father had not taken his cholesterol medication since coming home from the hospital. With her mother’s passing and her father’s health in decline, the daughter/caregiver shared how challenging it was trying to manage all his care.

To help make sure medications were available when needed, Foyou helped the daughter transfer her father’s prescription from a retail pharmacy to home delivery through Express Scripts^® Pharmacy. She also helped her sign up for automatic refills.

Connect with a pharmacist 24/7

When you have questions about your medications, our specially trained pharmacists are here to help. They’re available 24/7 from the privacy of your home.