A medication review gives you time to go through your medicines with a healthcare professional and ask about anything that is unclear. Before the visit, write down what you take and mark the questions you want answered. That can help you cover concerns about a medicine’s purpose, its directions, or a side effect you have noticed.
Put everything you take on one list
Include prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements. Write down each product’s name, how much you use, and when you use it. Include products you take only occasionally.
You can make a simple list with columns for the product name, amount, when you use it, and any questions. Add the reason you take a product if you know it. If you are unsure about its name or directions, mark that detail as a question rather than guessing. The packaging and written directions can help you check the information as you prepare.
Bring the list to your appointment and share it with the providers involved in your care. Keep a copy where you can find it for future visits. If you have more than one prescriber, sharing the same current list helps each provider see what you have recorded.
Use the review to resolve your questions
Before the visit, mark the items you want to discuss. Useful questions include:
- What is this medicine for?
- Do I still need to take it?
- How should I follow its directions?
- Could it interact with another medicine or supplement on my list?
- What side effects should I watch for or report?
Ask the reviewer to explain anything unclear in plain language. Write the answer beside the relevant item, or ask the provider or pharmacist to write it down. If you have trouble keeping track of your schedule or knowing whether you have taken a dose, describe what happens in your routine. That gives the reviewer a specific problem to discuss with you.
Mention any side effects you have noticed and when they occurred. Describe what you experienced without assuming which medicine caused it. Ask what to do if it happens again or continues. Do not change or stop a prescribed medicine unless your provider tells you to.
Leave with instructions you can follow
Before the conversation ends, go over any instructions you discussed. Make sure you understand what to take, how much, and when. If a direction is still unclear, ask the provider to explain it again or write it down. A review may clarify your plan; it does not necessarily mean you will take fewer medicines.
Ask whom to contact if questions come up later, including questions about a side effect. Update your list once you have clear instructions, and bring that version to future appointments. If a provider’s directions differ from what you have written down, ask them to clarify the plan before making a change.
Leave with a list that reflects the instructions you received and answers to the questions you brought to the review.