If you take more than a couple of medications regularly, you’ve probably never sat down and gone through all of them at once with a pharmacist. A medication review is exactly that: a dedicated conversation, separate from a quick pickup at the counter, to look at everything you’re taking and make sure it’s still working the way it should.
What happens during a medication review
A medication review is usually a sit-down conversation, in person or by phone, where your pharmacist goes through your full medication list: prescriptions, over-the-counter products, vitamins, and supplements. They’re looking for a few specific things:
- Interactions between medications, or between a medication and a supplement
- Duplicate therapies (sometimes prescribed by different doctors who aren’t aware of each other’s prescriptions)
- Side effects you may not have connected to a specific medication
- Whether the timing or dosage still makes sense for how you’re doing now
- Ways to simplify your routine, especially if you’re juggling several medications at different times of day
It’s a conversation, not a test. You’re not expected to know all the details ahead of time. Bringing your pill bottles or a current list is enough to start.
Who benefits most
Medication reviews tend to be most useful for:
- People taking five or more regular medications
- Anyone recently discharged from hospital, where medications often change quickly
- People who see more than one doctor or specialist, since prescriptions can pile up without anyone seeing the full picture
- Seniors, who are more likely to be affected by interactions and side effects
- Anyone who’s started a new medication and isn’t sure how it fits with what they’re already taking
- People managing a chronic condition where medication needs shift over time
If none of these apply to you but something still feels off with your medications (you’re not sure why you’re taking something, or you’ve noticed a new symptom since a prescription changed), that’s also a good reason to ask for a review.
There’s no set schedule for how often to have one. Some people benefit from an annual check-in, especially if their medication list tends to change year to year; others only need one after a specific event, like a new diagnosis or a hospital stay. If you’re not sure whether it’s time, ask your pharmacist. They’ll be able to tell you fairly quickly whether a full review makes sense right now or whether a quicker conversation will do.
What to bring
To make the most of a review, bring:
- All current prescriptions, including ones from different pharmacies or doctors
- Over-the-counter medications and supplements you take regularly
- A short list of any symptoms or concerns you want to raise
If you’re not sure whether something matters, bring it anyway. Pharmacists would rather see the full picture than a filtered one.
How is this different from a regular pickup?
A quick chat at the pickup counter is useful, but it’s not the same as a review. Pickup conversations tend to focus on one prescription at a time, often with other customers waiting. A medication review is set aside time, usually 15 to 30 minutes, to look at everything together, without the same time pressure.
Coverage and cost
Some medication reviews in BC may be covered under provincial pharmacy services for eligible patients, depending on your situation. Coverage details vary, so it’s worth asking your pharmacist directly whether you qualify before booking.
How to book one
A medication review isn’t an emergency service, so it’s best arranged ahead of time rather than during a busy pickup. Call our Mission pharmacy to ask about setting one up, or mention it next time you’re transferring or renewing a prescription with us.
Call our pharmacy at 604-287-2245, or visit purplehealth.co/pharmacy/ to learn more.