Whether you take one multivitamin a day or a mix of several supplements and medications, a medication list — whether physical or digital — is a critical healthcare asset to have on hand. You don’t want to be in a situation in which you need one, but you don’t have one.

A medication list ensures the prescriptions you routinely take can be easily identified and located in one, go-to place. It may seem laborious but maintaining an accurate list could be life-saving. Annual check-ups, sick trips to see your medical provider or emergency room visits are all examples of when an up-to-date medication list can help inform your medical team and assist them in making the best recommendations about your care.

If a provider doesn’t know what medications their patient is taking, they could make an incorrect diagnosis or prescribe the wrong treatment. Medication errors do happen, such as a patient not getting a medication they need or having a higher dose than needed.

Having an up-to-date medication list helps healthcare providers give safe care because they will know what medications and/or treatments they can safely administer without causing potentially harmful interactions or outcomes. Also, in an emergency situation, it ensures the patient can continue receiving their correct medication on time while under the hospital’s care.

Where to Start

If you’re not sure where to start, collect all the medications, vitamins and supplements you currently take. Look at the bottles or packaging they’re in for reference when creating your list.

Your medication list should include:

  • The name of the prescriptions and medications used on a routine basis, including supplements and vitamins.
  • The number of tablets, capsules or drops you take and how often you take them each day or week.
  • The amount or strength of the medication, usually given in milligrams.
  • The pharmacy where your prescriptions are refilled, if applicable, including its address and phone number.
  • The reason why you take each medication or supplement.

Make sure this list is recent by updating it when you get a new medication, change how you take the medication or stop a medication. As a rule of thumb, take this list with you to any appointments that may require a healthcare professional to know what prescriptions you are on — including home care, physical therapy, dental and chiropractor appointments.

Ensure a family member, friend, caregiver or another person of trust has access to this list. This person should be someone who may accompany you at an appointment or speak for you if you are in the emergency room.

If you prefer to have a physical copy of your medication list, handwrite or type it and store it in your wallet with your insurance card so that you always have it. For those who are tech-savvy, utilize the “Notes” application on your phone or download a medication-list specific app, such as MyMeds, as a safe place to store this important information.

The Importance of a List

Having an easily accessible and current medication list is a helpful way to keep track of your health as a patient. It also is helpful for others involved in your healthcare, including primary care, specialty and emergency providers.

Medical providers use medication lists as maps to determine effective care plans. If a medication is not working well, they can tweak the dosage and frequency, and if the patient could benefit from a new medication, it’s beneficial to know the ones that have not previously worked.

It may seem like all healthcare systems are tied together, but they are not. When Prowers Medical Center staff is collecting history and healthcare information from patients, some assume their records are already stored in the organization’s medical record system. Although that may be true for former or regular patients, not all medical staff has the same access to the entirety of the patient’s health records for privacy reasons. Also, the staff is checking to ensure nothing has changed since the patient’s last visit.

For example, staff who works in the hospital may not have instant access to patient medical records from the clinic. Moreover, not all healthcare organizations universally use the same system, so assuming healthcare information can easily be looked up at any facility is not always correct.

Patients should be proactive and accountable when it comes to their healthcare because knowledge gaps in medication history can lead to longer hospital stays, extra visits to the doctor’s office and prolonged healing.

If you have any questions about your medication list or need further explanation, please reach out to your primary healthcare provider. To schedule a primary care appointment at Prowers Medical Center, go to prowersmedical.com or call the Prowers Medical Center Clinic at 719-336-6767.