Something to Talk About: OFMQ, OPhA Partner to Encourage Patient Safety

(Oklahoma City)—October 17, 2007— Medications can pose serious, even deadly risks for older adults. Oklahomans who take more than one medication, see multiple doctors or use more than one pharmacy should be aware of increased risk to their safety. Understanding how to use medications wisely can help avoid complications such as confusion, falls and even death.

October is “Let’s Talk About Prescriptions” Month, and Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality and the Oklahoma Pharmacists Association are encouraging consumers to get involved in their health care by understanding the potential risks of their medications and talking to their health care providers.

“Take all your medications into your doctor or your pharmacist – prescription, over the counter, herbals – everything,” offers Lesley Maloney, PharmD, Medication Systems Management Specialist at OFMQ. “At a minimum, take a list of everything you are taking to discuss with your health care provider. Ask about potential side effects, talk about how you are taking your medicines, any changes or physical symptoms you have. You can greatly reduce your own risk by having this conversation,” she says.

With four out of five adult Americans using prescription or over-the-counter medications or dietary supplements, education about safe medication use is a priority. When taken as directed, medicines can treat or delay the progression of many chronic conditions and greatly improve quality of life—an increasingly significant issue among the nation’s aging population.

Maloney advises when getting a new prescription, patients should always ask the doctor or pharmacist the name of the medication, what it’s supposed to do and how to take it. Double check what the pharmacy provided is what was actually prescribed. Patients should monitor themselves for changes in the way they feel, such as dizziness, confusion or breathing problems. These symptoms may be side effects of medications.

Taking an active role in managing medications is an important step in staying safe. Patients should take charge of their health and ask questions of their health care providers to reduce the risks from their medications. Find out more about medication safety at www.ofmq.com/askquestions.

###

About Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality

Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality (OFMQ), an independent, not-for-profit organization is dedicated to improving health care for all Oklahomans, including the state’s more than half-a-million Medicare beneficiaries. As the original and only Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) in Oklahoma, we provide comprehensive quality evaluation and improvement programs for doctors, hospitals, nursing homes and home care agencies. For 35 years, OFMQ has worked in partnership with Oklahoma’s health community to improve the quality, safety and integrity of health care. www.ofmq.com

This material was created by Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for the state of Oklahoma, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health of Health and Human Services. Contents do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. 1D3-525-OK-1007

Website Title

Something to Talk About: OFMQ, OPhA Partner to Encourage Patient Safety