It’s Pharmacy Week!

by Ashley Guidry, Communications Associate

Pharmacy Week is the time to recognize the importance pharmacists have to their patients and in healthcare as a whole. Legacy has three pharmacies within our facilities, making medication available following appointments or delivering medications by mail. The original pharmacy was developed in the Montrose facility, the second in our Fifth Ward clinic, and the latest in Sharpstown. We asked Ruston Taylor, Legacy’s Senior Director of Pharmacy Clinical Services & Outreach, and Karen Gurwitch, Legacy’s Senior V.P. of Pharmacy, to answer questions we have on pharmacy week.

1. What is the process for the patient to get the medication they need from Legacy?  The first step is to request that your pharmacy or provider send your prescription to a Legacy Pharmacy. The pharmacy team is excited to provide you with the care and attention you need and deserve. When a prescription is filled, pharmacists check in with patients and do all of the following:

1. • Build relationships
   • Enhance coordination of care
   • Optimize disease state management
   • Improve medication adherence
   • Minimize adverse events
   • Identify/remove duplicative therapy
   • Provide education
2. How do you engage and educate patients in learning about their own medication?  Patients become engaged when we encourage them to become their healthiest selves. Our pharmacists talk with patients about how to take their medication as prescribed. Without medication counseling, patients may not understand “why” they are taking the medication or “what” the medication is used fo
3. How does Legacy make medication affordable to patients? Our staff works tirelessly to ensure people’s needs are met. We have multiple programs allowing our pharmacy to assist Legacy clients to ensure chronic medication access.
4. Are there any fun facts about being a pharmacist that people should know? Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professional, >90% of people live within 5 miles of a pharmacist. (Source: 10 Fun Facts about Pharmacists | Will you be surprised by our profession? (findyourscript.com))

Thank you, Ruston and Karen, for taking the time to answer our questions!

To learn more about Legacy Pharmacy hours, locations, and services, visit LegacyCommunityHealth.org/Pharmacy. If you would like to schedule an appointment with us, please visit us online or call (832) 548-5000.