It’s a world of technology and accessibility. With online shopping, fast shipping, and one-click purchases available at our fingertips, it’s clear why people may want that same convenience with their healthcare. But is the most convenient option really the most beneficial? What many don’t know is that their local pharmacy offers that same great convenience but with quality care to back it up.

Your medications are personal – and having your prescriptions filled from a warehouse across the country by strangers is the opposite of personal. Choosing the right pharmacy for you and your family is as important as choosing the right doctor, and you should trust your health to someone who gets to know you.

Why is picking a pharmacy so important?

Many people put a lot of thought into picking a doctor – they look around, ask around, and sometimes change their minds after visiting. But research shows that the average person sees their pharmacist 7 to 10 times more often than they see their doctor, so it’s even more important to put the same level of thought into picking the right pharmacist. When choosing a pharmacist and pharmacy, look for a pharmacy that can fulfill all your healthcare needs, not just filling one prescription. Using multiple pharmacies to fill different prescriptions can mean that no one pharmacy knows everything that you are needing, and still may not account for over-the-counter medications you are taking as well. This can lead to negative drug interactions or side effects because the pharmacy team doesn’t have the full picture.

Finding the right pharmacy for you does not need to be a long or difficult process. A good place to start is by asking yourself some basic questions:

• Does your pharmacist take the time to talk with you about your medications and answer your questions?
• Does your pharmacy team offer a variety of health and wellness services such as immunizations, diabetes management, asthma control, or other health-related offerings?
• Does the pharmacy team seem genuinely interested in you and your family’s health care needs?
• Does your pharmacy offer recommendations on over-the-counter products and inform you which ones NOT to take with your prescription?

Why should I choose an independent pharmacy?

There are a lot of options out there for getting your prescriptions filled, and many offer delivery now. But not all convenient services are created equal – that’s why you should go with a local team that you can trust with delivering the medications you need.

An independent pharmacy can offer more than the convenient refills, though they can do that, too! Community pharmacies can bring you peace of mind that not only are you getting a medication, you’re getting the right one, at the right time – all from people you trust to know what you need.

Along with prescription peace of mind, your community pharmacist will often:

• provide medication reviews and counseling
• educate on a number of health conditions
• monitor health goals and offer wellness solutions
• communicate needed refills — and also communicate when they may not be needed anymore
• administer immunizations, including flu and COVID-19

The list of services offered at a local independent pharmacy is continually growing and evolving to best serve our communities. Pharmacists work closely with local prescribers to ensure our patients have all the information and guidance needed to live a long and healthy life. Take advantage of the numerous ways your independent pharmacy can help. The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) conducted a census of community pharmacists in the United States, and they reported that in 2021: ¹

• 88% consider themselves full-line pharmacies
• 92% provide wound care
• 91% provide medication synchronization
• 77% offer compliance packaging
• 87% administer flu shots
• 70% offer delivery

It is not always about the fastest option or the most convenient one. Your health and that of your family is too important to settle for just convenience. When you choose an independent pharmacy, you will experience more than fast and easy.

Why should I pick an independent instead of mail order?

The convenience of getting your medications delivered in the mail may seem like a perk, but there are some significant risks associated with it. Your prescription could be lost or never arrive. You could the wrong amount – or the wrong drug entirely. According to the 2021 NCPA Digest, ¹

• 60% of community pharmacists reported that patients had mail order medication left outside rather than being delivered to the patient directly. Medications can lose their effectiveness when left in too hot or too cold of temperatures.
• 44% reported patients getting the wrong amount of a drug.
• 26% said patients received the wrong medicine.
• 25% reported patients’ medication going to the wrong address.
• 98% have had patients that received the delivery late or never received their medication at all.

An article from Consumer Action for a Strong Economy (CAS) states, “While mailing a prescription may sound routine, most patients forced to wait for these services are those with complex or life-threatening conditions such as cancer. Delaying these treatments can have serious repercussions for these patients’ health and potentially lessens their outlook.” ² Before opting in to receiving your medications via mail order, compare the perceived convenience to the benefits of working with a local pharmacy.

One-on-one medication counseling

When using mail-order services, there is no way of knowing who is filling your prescription from month to month. It may not even be a pharmacist filling it. The lack of two-way communication puts you at higher risk because they may not be aware of changes in your health or any medication side affects you may be experiencing. Your pharmacist should help you feel comfortable asking questions about your health and can offer a faster response to your medication needs.

Customized care

Mail order pharmacies are only able to provide the medications themselves. Local pharmacies offer a variety of complementary services to address your whole health. Providing recommendations on supplements, access to a pharmacist who can answer any questions or issues that may arise, and regular follow-ups to ensure you get the quality care you deserve.

Accurate refills

When receiving your medications in the mail, you are accepting multiple risks that are completely out of your control. What happens if your doctor forgets to send in your prescription or refills for a few days? Now, not only do you not have your medications, but you will also have to wait days or maybe even weeks for them to arrive. Alternatively, mail order companies may have outdated information and automatically send you refills for medications you no longer need. Now you have a large supply of medications on-hand, increasing your risk of taking the wrong medication.

 

Why should I pick an independent instead of a chain pharmacy?

Often people list convenience as the number one reason they choose a chain over an independent pharmacy. Whether it is their hours of operation or a larger selection of products, the flexibility they offer is just about the only benefit they provide compared to independent pharmacies. According to a 2018 Consumer Reports’ survey, “Independent pharmacies earned high scores on such measures as courtesy, helpfulness, and speed of checkout and filling prescriptions, as well as pharmacists’ knowledge and accuracy. At the bottom, large national chain pharmacies.” ³

Let’s review some of the myths and misconceptions about independent pharmacies compared to chain pharmacies.

Myth: Independent pharmacies are more expensive.

According to that same Consumer Reports’ survey, independent pharmacies do better than big chain drugstores with regards to cost. Members who went to independent pharmacies were also more likely to report that the pharmacist suggested a lower-cost drug—21 percent—while only nine percent reported chain pharmacists offering them a lower-price option. Worse, national chains tended to have some of the highest out-of-pocket prices. While prices at independents fell in the middle, CR members said they found the lowest prices at Costco. CR secret shoppers found that some independent and grocery store pharmacies can offer even lower prices than Costco—you will just need to call around in your area and ask for their “cash” or retail price. ³

Myth: Independent pharmacies do not have what I need.

Overall, 21 percent of Consumer Reports members reported that a drug they needed was out of stock in the past year. As a group, independents were more likely than other types of pharmacies to fill the prescription later that same day or the next. Members who used an independent pharmacist were also more likely to say that the pharmacy went out of its way to fill prescriptions faster; 41 percent of people said that happened at independent pharmacies compared to just 20 percent at pharmacy chains. ³

Myth: Independent pharmacies do not accept my insurance.

Every year, independent pharmacies must combat the misconception that, because they are small, they do not accept most insurance. Larger insurance companies, many of which own pharmacies themselves, spend a lot of time and money each year telling patients that they are required to use certain pharmacies to fill their prescriptions. Oftentimes, you can use a local pharmacy, you just do not know it. Before taking the word of your insurance provider, call your local pharmacy to see what your copay is.

 

Your pharmacist may be the health professional you see most often and talk with about your health. It’s important to take advantage of the many ways your pharmacist can help you manage your health and medications. Pharmacists work closely with your doctor or nurse to give you expert information and guidance about your health and any conditions you may have. All this information & all these services are available at your local pharmacy… now that sounds like convenience! As a member of the local independent pharmacy community, we are your trusted medication experts – and we look forward to serving you and your family.

 

Sources:

¹ 2021 NCPA Digest, sponsored by Cardinal Health

² https://caseforconsumers.org/2019/02/26/forced-mail-order-pharmacies-unfair-to-patients-and-wasteful/

³ https://www.consumerreports.org/pharmacies/consumers-still-prefer-independent-pharmacies-consumer-reports-ratings-show/

https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/pharmacies/buying-guide/index.htm

Tobacco use is the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, and it can harm nearly every part of a person’s body. The majority of adult smokers want to quit. So why don’t they just do it? Simple – it’s really hard to do sometimes. Nicotine is very addictive, and the withdrawal and cravings can be overpowering. More than half of adult smokers have tried to quit in 2018, but only 7.5% of them succeeded. ¹

If you or a loved one smoke, it’s important to understand the risks associated with tobacco use to you and those around you. We are here to help educate you on the risks as well as the benefits of quitting and to provide resources to help you on your journey to a tobacco-free life.

What are the risks associated with smoking? ²

First and foremost, smoking is the leading cause of cancer in the United States. Lung cancer is especially common and is the foremost cause of cancer death in the United States. Not only does it increase a person’s risk for lung cancer, it can also increase the risk for cancer of throat, mouth, stomach, kidney, bladder, cervix, and more. Depending on how long someone has smoked, this risk can be 2 to 10 times higher than if they never smoked a cigarette.

The health risk to a smoker is not limited to cancer. Smoking is associated with other diseases such as heart disease and stroke, may be linked to developing cataracts or a bone disease, and can even cause problems in getting pregnant. Smoking during pregnancy may also be associated with low birth weight in the baby.

Smoking doesn’t affect just the smoker, either. Those around smoke can inhale the smoke or exhalations of smokers nearby, which is called secondhand smoke. The amount of chemicals and toxins inhaled from secondhand smoke is less than what the smoker is breathing in, but it is still dangerous and can increase their chances of developing cancer or other diseases as well. Secondhand smoke can cause additional problems in children especially, including lung infections, asthma, and even sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Are e-cigarettes safe to use? ³

E-cigarettes (also known by e-cigs, vape pens, and many other names) deliver the nicotine or other drug as an aerosol vapor rather than the traditional smoke. These products are generally less toxic than a traditional cigarette, but they are still harmful. Most contain nicotine (often even those marketed to be nicotine-free), which is toxic and addictive itself. They can also have other cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals, harmful flavoring, and more.

As a cigarette substitute, studies have mixed results on the efficacy. They may help cigarette users quit, but what often happens is “dual-use” – adding vaping into the routine in addition to regular cigarettes instead of in replacement of them. E-cigarettes are not an FDA-approved smoking cessation aid.

E-cigarettes are relatively new, and studies are still being conducted – but the short conclusion so far is that they are still harmful and it’s better to never start than to use this less harmful alternative. There is no tobacco product that is harmless, nor is there a safe level of smoking.

What are the benefits of quitting smoking?

While smoking increases a person’s risk of developing health concerns, quitting can help lower that risk. Some of the health benefits of quitting are immediate while some take longer to manifest. Within minutes of a person’s last cigarette, the heart rate drops to a healthier level; within a day, the nicotine in the blood is gone. Within a year, coughing will decrease; risk of cancers and stroke decreases in the years following. ⁴

CDC_Timeline of Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation.png

Even if already diagnosed with cancer, it’s not too late to benefit from quitting. For patients with some cancers, quitting smoking at the time of diagnosis may reduce the risk of dying by 30 to 40 percent. Quitting also helps the body heal better from surgery and respond better to therapy, and it lowers the risk of cancer coming back or that another cancer will develop. ⁵

I’m ready to quit – where should I start?

Reach out to your healthcare team.

According to the National Cancer Institute, those who have counseling from their doctor, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional are more likely to actually quit smoking – even one session can increase your likelihood of succeeding. ²

Your healthcare team can help you on your journey to quitting by:

• Asking about your smoking history so you both have a good understanding of where you’re starting.
• Helping you plan the journey by setting goals and providing support materials.
• Following up regularly to support you and help you stay accountable.
• Offering options for group or peer counseling.
• Recommending nicotine replacement therapy or other treatment options

There are also other means of support available outside of visiting a doctor. You can get confidential coaching through 1-800-QUIT-NOW or join a free messaging program like SmokefreeTXT. There are even mobile apps like quitSTART that can help support you while and after you quit. ⁶

Set yourself up for success.

Prepare for the side effects. ⁷

Nicotine withdrawal is different for every person, but most people do have some symptoms of it. These symptoms can be unpleasant, but you can get through them. The thing that will hurt you the most is if you give into the withdrawal and smoke again.

As you try to quit smoking, you may experience one or more of these temporary withdrawal symptoms:

• Nicotine cravings
• Anger, frustration, or irritability
• Jumpiness or restlessness
• Trouble concentrating or sleeping
• Anxiety or depression
• Hunger or weight gain

Know the common triggers.

Experiencing cravings as part of withdrawal is bad enough – having reminders of smoking in your day-to-day life can make it even harder to stay committed to quitting. Triggers don’t have to be just seeing a pack of cigarettes out on the table – they can be a mood or a feeling, or even just a normal part of the day when you usually would have a cigarette. These triggers can be different for each person, so taking the time to identify your triggers is crucial to staying in control.

Some triggers for smoking may include:

• Being around smokers
• Your morning or evening routine
• Stress
• Driving or riding in a car
• Eating or drinking
• Boredom

Once you can recognize the triggers, the next step is avoid them in your life. Some tips for removing triggers and for dealing with them if they do happen are:

• Remove tobacco products and things associated with smoking, like ash trays.
• Avoid spending time with other people while they smoke and ask them to not smoke around you.
• Ask for help you keep on this path. This can include asking that they not buy cigarettes for you – or that they don’t ask you to buy cigarettes for them.
• Stay busy. When you have something to distract yourself, you will be less focused on satisfying the craving for a cigarette.
• Exercise! Not only is it a good distractor as well, but it can also help alleviate withdrawal symptoms. Staying active can also help lift your mood, which can help with side effects as well. Any exercise is better than no exercise, so do what you can!

Cancer.gov and the CDC are great resources for dealing with different withdrawal symptoms as well as addressing health concerns where smokers may normally turn to a cigarette to cope.

Try cutting back instead of going “cold turkey.”

If drug therapy or nicotine replacement products aren’t the right fit for you, try limiting how many cigarettes you smoke to try to slowly eliminate nicotine. Many people think they could quit at anytime, but the addictiveness of nicotine is often underestimated. When you cut out nicotine all at once – “cold turkey” style – it can be harder than you may expect to withstand the cravings and withdrawal symptoms. ⁸

Consider treatment. ⁷

Managing withdrawal symptoms sometimes takes outside help. Medications can make the cravings and withdrawal symptoms easier to bear, which can make it easier to stick to your goal of quitting.

Using a type of drug treatment, regardless of type, can increase a person’s chances at successfully quitting. There are several options when looking at drug treatment:

1. Nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs)

Nicotine replacement therapies are products that work to slowly cut back a person’s use and dependence of nicotine. These products do have nicotine in them, but they are much safer to use these products than smoking a cigarette.

The over the counter (OTC) options available are:

• Nicotine patches
• Nicotine gum (available in two strengths)
• Nicotine lozenge (available in two strengths)

The prescription NRT options are:

• Nicotine nasal spray
• Nicotine inhaler

The nicotine patch can be combined with another NRT to increase your chances of successfully quitting. Different products work better for different people and situations. It’s best to check the precautions and side effects of each product and discuss your plans with a healthcare professional before beginning, especially if you plan to use the combination therapy method.

2. Non-nicotine medications

There are two non-nicotine prescription medications that a doctor can prescribe. There are side effects associated with both, so discussing the pros and cons with your doctor is an important step.

• Bupropion (Zyban®) is an antidepressant that has been approved to treat nicotine addiction since 1997. This can be used safely with other NRTs. Bupropion works by reducing the withdrawal symptoms and the cravings for a cigarette.
• Varenicline (Chantix®) has been approved to help people stop smoking since 2006. This medication works by reducing cravings for a cigarette as well as by blocking the pleasurable feelings felt if the person does have a cigarette.

Many treatments may be covered by your insurance. Talk to your healthcare team and insurance to see what coverage you have.

Quitting is hard, and it can take a long time to achieve. But it is doable, and it starts with that first step of wanting to stop. Remember that your friends, family, and healthcare team are here to support you. If you have any questions, please reach out to our staff.

 

Sources:

¹ https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/fact_sheets/cessation/smoking-cessation-fast-facts/index.html

² https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/quit-smoking-pdq

³ https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/index.htm

⁴ https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/benefits/index.htm

⁵ https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/cessation-fact-sheet

⁶ https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/index.htm

⁷ https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/

⁸ https://www.quit.com/quit-smoking-faqs.html