Let’s say you move to a new city. You’ve got a new home, a job, and your children are enrolled in their new school. Now you’ll have to find new places to eat, new stores in which to buy groceries, and a new family doctor. But what about a pharmacy? People probably don’t think about this when it comes to settling in to a new city and a new life, but there are lots of good reasons why choosing a good pharmacy is important.
Here are a few things to look for when you are choosing a new pharmacy for your family’s needs.
Convenient Location
This is important. Think of all of the times you are awakened by a crying child, sick with tooth pain or an upset stomach. What do you do? If the tried-and-true medicine of mother’s hugs doesn’t do the trick, you’ll need to throw your jacket over your pjs and head out to the pharmacy. At times like these, it’s important that the location is convenient to your home. Likewise, if you need to stop by to drop off/pick up a prescription en route to and from work, you’ll want to choose a pharmacy that is along your usual route (or at least close by).
Selection of Options
When it comes to choosing a pharmacy, you’ll essentially have the option of choosing either a larger chain store or a smaller community pharmacy. In the case of the former, you’ll be able to choose from a wider variety of medication options or brand names. They will also offer other convenient items that you might also need to grab on your way home, such as milk, eggs, snacks, and other personal care items. If those things are not important to you or if you prefer to shop for those items elsewhere, a smaller community pharmacy might be a better fit for you.
Rapport with the Pharmacist
Go into the pharmacy you are considering and talk to the pharmacist. Are they warm and friendly? Do they take the time to answer your questions? Do they appear knowledgeable? Having a good rapport with the pharmacist is an important factor in choosing a pharmacy. Pharmacists are a valuable ally in your family’s health care. Many doctors acknowledge the fact that pharmacists know more about pharmaceuticals, drug interactions, side effects, etc. than they do. Having the kind of relationship where you can ask delicate questions and get good answers is very important when it comes to your family’s health.
Choosing a compounding pharmacy for your family is an important decision, one that should be made based on a variety of considerations, both practical and more substantive. Take all of these considerations into account when choosing a pharmacy, and don’t discount the value of following your intuition. If you get a nagging feeling about a pharmacy or the pharmacist, you might want to choose another one.
What are your tips for choosing a pharmacist?
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