Visiting Your Pharmacy

Getting Your Prescription Filled

Every time you have your prescription filled there is a series of steps that your pharmacy team performs.

Ask for Identifying Information

Your pharmacy team will ask you to confirm at least two pieces of identifying information. This can be a combination of information (e.g. MCP number, address, date of birth), or physical identification (e.g. MCP card or driver’s licence).

If another person is picking up your prescription on your behalf, pharmacy staff will need to verify both your information and the information of the person picking up the prescription, as well as validate that this person has been listed as an approved agent on your patient profile.

Review Your Prescription and Medication Profile

Your pharmacy team will review your prescription and medication profile to ensure that:

the information provided by the prescriber is accurate and complete;
the medication, strength, and dosage instructions are appropriate for you and your health condition;
you are not allergic to the medication; and
there are no potential medication-related problems such as duplicate therapy or drug interactions.

To effectively review this information, your pharmacy team may collect information from you directly about your health and medication, review information within the Provincial Electronic Health Record, and/or consult with other members of your healthcare team.

Inform You About Your Medication

Once your prescription has been filled, a pharmacist will provide you with information about your medication to help you use it safely and effectively, including:

the name of the medication
what the medication is for
the directions for proper use
common side effects and how to manage them
potential drug interactions
what to expect from the medication and how soon to expect the medication to work
what to do if you miss a dose
how to store the medication
any prescription refill information
when to follow up with the pharmacist or your primary health care provider

Always check your medication to ensure it looks as it should before you leave the pharmacy and ask your pharmacist if something looks different than expected.

Pharmacy Services Available

In addition to filling prescriptions, pharmacy professionals may provide a variety of healthcare services such as prescribing, administering injections, compounding drugs, and opioid agonist maintenance treatment. Learn more about the Healthcare Services Provided by Your Pharmacy Team.

Keeping Your Pharmacist Informed

It is important that you keep your pharmacist informed about your medical condition or any changes to your health so that they have the information they need to make informed decisions about your healthcare. Let your pharmacist know about:

any allergies or previous adverse reactions to medications;
any prescription or nonprescription medications you are taking (many over-the-counter products, including natural health products and herbal supplements, can interact with medications); and
any lifestyle changes or non-drug measures you are taking to improve your health.

Asking About Your Medications

Developed by the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, the Canadian Pharmacists Association, and the Canadian Society for Hospital Pharmacists, below are 5 questions you should ask about your medications. Click to download the poster.

Changes?

Have any medications been added, stopped, or changed, and why?

Continue?

What medications do I need to keep taking, and why?

Proper Use?

How do I take my medications, and for how long?

Monitor?

How will I know if my medication is working, and what side effects do I watch for?

Follow-up?

Do I need any tests and when do I book my next visit?

Scroll to Top