Care coordination
One afternoon, I noticed a man sitting in the parking lot. I greeted him with a simple "hello," and he surprised me by asking for advice. He wasn’t a regular customer, but I told him, "Absolutely." He came inside and pulled a beer can from his pocket, confessing, "I need you to help me reduce this; I drink 8 per day."
After a few questions, I learned he had no family doctor and didn't realize pharmacies could assist with minor health issues. He also had asthma but only got his inhaler from emergency rooms or walk-in clinics, which hadn’t referred him to any specialist.
Over the next few weeks, I helped him connect with a family physician. Within a month, he had a doctor, a plan to cut back on alcohol, the right prescription to quit smoking, and a referral to a cardiologist. The cardiologist’s evaluation led to a diagnosis of a heart condition that he hadn’t known about.
He returned and said, "I owe you a lot." I told him, "You don’t owe me anything. Just spread the word about how collaboration between a pharmacy, a doctor, and a nurse can make all this possible."
Because of a pharmacist, something important happened.
