Communicate with Your Healthcare Provider.

Did you know that deaths through prescription medications, both in outpatient and hospital settings, account for over 100,000 deaths annually, making this one of the leading causes of death in the country? The healthcare industry considers this a priority issue, but also feels frustrated about the solution, which rests in communication.

Medication is a miracle of technology and pharmaceutical approaches to health have raised our average life span greatly. This century has seen the elimination of many diseases and the controlling of many more through this miracle. The idea here is not to be afraid of the statistic, but rather to know and understand it; "forewarned is forearmed."

Here is the basic problem and, hopefully, we can agree that there are basic solutions. Our current healthcare is a fragmented system in which the patient visits a doctor, gets a diagnosis, hears about options for treatment, then visits the pharmacy to pick up a prescription. Often, a specialist may be involved in the treatment and more professionals are utilized to affect a cure. With several doctors and several prescriptions involved, things become confused.

The patient becomes unsure of the effects of their medication and often will not comply with the treatment. Or a patient continues to take medication without expressing their concerns about how it makes them feel. There is also the possibility of overmedication by multiple practitioners. There is a communication breakdown in which patients and healthcare practitioners suffer.

Medications of all kinds, pharmaceuticals or alternatives, should only be taken with personal investigation beforehand. Knowing what you are placing in your body should be the primary concern for anyone. If you are educated about your medications, you will know what they are intended to treat and what side effects and dangers may accompany the taking of the medication. While you may not be able to understand all the medical jargon in information sheets or backsides of medicine ads, you still can be informed on basic answers about the medication. Let's remember that we are in the Information Age with many avenues of knowledge available. First and foremost, however, you must be able to receive specific answers from healthcare professionals.

Perhaps the easiest solution to our healthcare problem is one most difficult to achieve. In essence, the patient must be in charge - the captain of their own healthcare team. For too long we have relied on doctors to fix us, and often think this will happen with little effort on our part. This is the fundamental problem that has doctors and pharmacists so frustrated.

Now let's add to the mix the mainstream re-emergence of natural remedies. Alternative medicines are popular once again, including homeopathic and herbal remedies, vitamin and mineral therapy, aromatherapy and acupuncture, to name a few. This is both a good and a bad thing.  It is a good thing that people are seeking healthcare answers from incredible amounts of new data in these fields. However, it is a bad thing when people "self-heal" based on fads and fluff articles in magazines. It is also a concern to healthcare professionals when people take natural remedies AND pharmaceutical medications without checking for potential dangers.

An alarming statistic shows that 38% of our population is taking natural medicine without telling their doctors or pharmacists. Doctors and pharmacists are becoming experts in these remedies, but the frightening fact that patients are not telling their doctors about alternatives throws red flags to the entire healthcare industry.

Therefore, it is more important than ever to communicate with your healthcare provider your concerns about your health. Talk to your pharmacist about your medications and other aspects of your healthcare.   We would be happy to assist you by providing information about your medication regimen and check your current prescriptions for interactions. We also offer nutritional counseling and can aid in your dietary needs based on diseases or other problems you may currently be experiencing.

As you may know, there is more and more information becoming available regarding natural products and how they should be used appropriately.  Our research indicates that some supplements and herbs can be very useful and may produce significant improvement in overall health.  However, it should not be assumed that it is safe or appropriate to use these products casually.  Some prescription medications can interact with natural products and result in undesirable effects.  It is also possible for some prescription medications to cause the body to displace important nutrients and specific supplements may be recommended.

Make an appointment today with our Wellness Consultants.

If you are truly interested in all aspects of your health, you must communicate. You must be the one that takes charge of your health.  We are happy to help you in the management of your health, but you must be the one in charge.