Surprising things your pharmacist can do for you

Pharmacists play a key role in your health care. They make sure your prescriptions are filled accurately and safely. They’re available to answer any questions and concerns you have about your medications. And that’s just the beginning.

In addition to being a medication authority, pharmacists can do so much more for you than you probably realize. Here are some lesser-known ways your pharmacist can support you.

Save you money on prescriptions

Some prescription medications can be expensive, but your pharmacist can help you find lower-cost alternatives. This could include recommending a generic medication or biosimilar in place of a brand-name medication or biologic, or suggesting a new medication that works similarly but costs less based on your prescription drug coverage.

If your health benefits include Express Scripts® Pharmacy, you can obtain up to a 3-month supply (with refills) of your long-term medication delivered right to your door with free standard shipping. Plus, you could save up to 33% on your prescriptions as compared to retail pharmacies.¹

Recommend over-the-counter medications

Pharmacists don’t just answer questions about prescription medications. They can also provide guidance and counseling on appropriate over-the-counter (OTC) medications to treat common illnesses.

They can also make sure any OTC medications are safe for you and don’t interact with any of your prescription medications or supplements.

Ease medication side effects

If you experience symptoms that you suspect are side effects from a medication, let your pharmacist know. They may be able to offer up suggestions to mitigate symptoms. For example, your pharmacist may recommend taking your medication late in the day if it causes drowsiness or suggest taking your medication with food if it seems to upset your stomach.

Pharmacists can also discuss options with your doctor and try to find an alternative medication with fewer side effects.

Be your health advocate

Your pharmacist is in a unique position to be your health advocate. Pharmacists ensure that medication doses are correct, look for opportunities to remove medications with duplicate effects, check for medication interactions, follow up with insurance companies to obtain prescription coverage, and follow up with physicians to make medication changes or obtain prescription refills or renewals.

Pharmacists can also provide resources for managing chronic health conditions, interpret healthcare data from monitoring devices or wearables, and advise if you should see a doctor.

With Express Scripts® Pharmacy, you have 24/7 access to specially trained pharmacists. These pharmacists receive additional training in specific areas of health including diabetes, immunology, cardiovascular conditions, pulmonary conditions, neuroscience conditions, and women’s health conditions, and can work with you and your doctor on a personalized plan to help you manage your particular health condition.

Stay on track with your medication

It can be hard to stay on top of your medications, especially if you take more than one. Pharmacists can help keep you on track by checking in if you’re late to fill a prescription or contacting your doctor on your behalf if you run out of refills and need a new prescription.

Your pharmacist can also provide tips and tricks for taking your medication as prescribed. For example, your pharmacist may recommend refilling all of your medications at the same time or suggest a specific type of pill organizer or phone app to help you manage your prescriptions.

The Express Scripts® Pharmacy app lets you set up automatic alerts to remind you when it’s time to take your medication so you never miss a dose. The app also makes it easy to manage refill requests and track medication orders.

Our pharmacists are here for you

At Express Scripts® Pharmacy, we understand the important and growing role that pharmacists can play in your health and well-being. That’s why our pharmacists are available 24/7 — to answer any of your questions and concerns and provide you with the personalized care and support you deserve.

1 Internal Analytics, FY 2020-2021.