Choosing a Pharmacy
Tips for Choosing the Best Pharmacy for Your Health Care Needs
Choosing the right pharmacy is as important as choosing the right Primary Care Physician.
Unity supports the Wisconsin Pharmacy Quality Collaborative (WPQC), an independent collaborative that has established a community pharmacy quality credentialing process. WPQC has identified key “best practices” for community pharmacies. To be credentialed for quality with WPQC, a pharmacy must demonstrate that it follows all of the best practices on a consistent basis.
Consider these tips to help select the best pharmacy:
Quality Credentialed
- Use pharmacies credentialed for quality by the Wisconsin Pharmacy Quality Collaborative (WPQC). In addition to dispensing medications in the safest way possible, the pharmacist at a WPQC pharmacy will take an active role in understanding and managing all of your prescriptions.
- WPQC credentialed pharmacies can provide one-on-one education and services to help you use your medications properly and achieve better outcomes
Helps Manage Your Health
- The pharmacist knows you, your medical conditions and your prescription history and will review your entire profile before dispensing any medications
- The pharmacist is happy to work with your physician to resolve any drug therapy issues
- The pharmacist helps you understand how to use a new prescription or OTC medication; how to take it, alerts you to potential drug interactions and what to do if you experience side effects
- The pharmacist will not just ask if you have any questions, but will proactively ask you if you feel your medication is working, if you have any side effects and other questions to monitor how your medications are working
Helpful and Confidential
- The pharmacy provides an environment where you feel comfortable discussing confidential health concerns
- The pharmacist is willing to answer any questions using plain language; you understand the answers and do not feel rushed
- The pharmacist or staff will request refills and trouble-shoot any coverage issues on your behalf
- The pharmacist will proactively make you aware of alternatives with lower copays or generics and will facilitate a change with your prescriber if you request
Use the Same Pharmacy
Having all of your medications filled at one pharmacy provides the pharmacist with all the knowledge needed to best serve your needs and to be familiar with your health care. This will ensure that all medication records are at one location and reduces the risk of duplicating medications and of drug interactions.
Select a Pharmacy in Unity’s Participating Pharmacy Network
Use the Find a Pharmacy tool to find a network pharmacy near you
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