Community Pharmacy Basics
This is the most common type of pharmacy where patients pick up prescriptions and receive counseling.
What is a community pharmacy?
This pharmacist may own and operate their own pharmacy business.
What is an independent pharmacy owner?
This symbol is commonly used to represent pharmacy.
What is Rx?
This counseling method uses questions about symptoms, history, onset, location, aggravating factors, remitting factors, medications, and allergies.
What is SCHOLAR-MAC?
This pharmacist service helps patients improve adherence by packaging medications into organized daily packs or blister packs.
What is compliance packaging?
(Also accept: blister packaging, adherence packaging, pill packs)
This abbreviation stands for Medication Therapy Management.
What is MTM?
This type of pharmacist works in stores like Walgreens, CVS, or Walmart.
What is a retail/community pharmacist?
This pharmacy calculation is commonly used to determine kidney function for medication dosing.
What is creatinine clearance?
This OTC product category is commonly recommended alongside nicotine patches.
What is nicotine gum/lozenges?
This service involves synchronizing all a patient’s medications to be filled on the same day each month.
What is medication synchronization?
These are medications a pharmacist may recommend without a prescription.
What are OTC medications?
This pharmacist specializes in preparing custom medications for patients.
What is a compounding pharmacist?
This type of medication error occurs when two drugs have similar names or packaging.
What is look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) error?
This OTC pain reliever should generally be avoided in children with viral illnesses because of the risk of Reye syndome.
What is aspirin?
This pharmacy business model is owned and operated independently rather than by a national chain.
What is an independent pharmacy?
This pharmacist service helps patients understand how to take medications safely and correctly.
What is medication counseling?
This pharmacy setting provides medications to nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
What is long-term care pharmacy?
This insurance term describes the list of medications covered by a patient's plan.
What is a formulary?
This counseling point is especially important when recommending pseudoephedrine-containing products.
What is monitoring blood pressure?
This pharmacist service allows independent pharmacies to improve patient outcomes while generating additional revenue beyond dispensing prescriptions.
What are clinical services?
(Examples: immunizations, MTM, testing)
This process involves checking prescriptions for safety, interactions, and accuracy before dispensing.
What is prescription verification?
These pharmacists focus on high-cost or complex medications such as biologics.
What is a specialty pharmacy?
This organization publishes standards for sterile compounding such as IV room procedures.
What is USP?
This serious complication can occur when patients take too much acetaminophen.
What is liver toxicity/hepatoxicity?
This business challenge often causes independent pharmacies to receive lower reimbursement than the medication acquisition cost.
What are PBMs?
(Pharmacy Benefit Managers)