Summertime, baseball, and deprescribing!

Enjoying the summer, watching a baseball game, and taking only needed medications certainly are all good things. 

SUMMERTIME

Summer is just a wonderful time of year especially in the northeast. So much time is spent outside traveling to lakes and beaches, enjoying cookouts and backyard pools with friends and family, visiting local wineries and breweries to relax and chat in their outdoor venues. Outdoor concerts are a special treat, especially picnicking at Tanglewood while listening to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and then there is always the magic of a Red Sox – or – WooSox baseball game!

BASEBALL

Baseball can be so exciting at times. As a player you need to always be on alert and know what to do if the ball finds its way to you to make the play. Years ago, when I began my journey as a faculty member for the doctor-of-pharmacy program, I developed a teaching philosophy based on of all things- baseball!  When teaching pharmacy students, it is important that they realize that each patient and their scenarios will vary, medication lists and patient goals and concerns will too. Students will become pharmacists that will need to field these “balls” and figure out the best “play”.

DEPRESCRIBING

Deprescribing philosophy can also follow baseball. The defensive-side is trying to make outs-outs in this case is reducing, switching, or stopping an inappropriate or unnecessary medication. The offensive-side is the batting, getting on base, and making home runs – this is the optimizing of needed medications. Making defensive and offensive decisions with your health care provider – that is deprescribing (outs) and optimizing (home runs) – is a great way to approach reducing unnecessary and inappropriate medications.

                   Have a great rest of the summer! Stay alert! Play ball! And DO: Deprescribe to Optimize!

In the meantime check out my new book that is due out at the end of August!

MedStrong: Shed Your Meds for a Better, Healthier You – Aging Well through Deprescribing

Pre-orders are now available online. Also check out the templates option to see forms to guide you through the deprescribing process. Most of all stay WISE & WELL!