Medication Management
When in treatment, managing your psychotropic medications can be difficult. For many, access to typical prescribers may become impossible. In addition, it may be unclear if your psychotropic medications and dosages are appropriate, as the recovery process can impact your needs. At Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention, clients participating in our crisis stabilization unit (CSU) have access to professional medication management services.
About Medication Management
Medication management is a suite of services that guide clients in managing pre-existing medications. In order to ensure your needs are met, medication management at Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention includes a comprehensive set of services:
- Medication reconciliation: To help establish a foundation for your care, our staff helps to reconcile your medications. This means that we work with you to document your medications, their dosages, schedules, and route (method of administration).
- Medication education: Everyone deserves clear, accurate information about their prescriptions. After reconciling your medications, our staff helps you to understand your medications. We will help you to understand what each medication does for you, potential side effects, medication interactions, and more.
- Medication adjustment: Should your current medications not be working at their best, our staff can help you to create a more effective medication regime. We can help you to identify ineffective or unnecessary medications, adjust dosages, or otherwise change your prescription to your needs. When adjustments are considered, our medical staff always consults on changes.
- Adherence support: We understand that keeping track of and remembering to take medications can be difficult when circumstances change. Our staff will help you to adhere to your medications, keeping you safe and healthy.
- Safe medication storage: Many medications require specific storage methods and mediums. For those with such medicines, we will work with you to safely store your medicine for appropriate usage.
Medication management isn’t the prescription of new medications. If you are seeking a prescription for a new medication, speak to your doctor or your medical team. Our medication management program primarily focuses on helping you with psychotropic medicines.
The ‘Five Rights’ Of Medication Management
Through decades of treatment, medical experts have determined a set of best practices for ensuring patients’ safety. Both health care providers and their clients need to understand these safety tools and work together.
The five rights are important but are not sufficient in isolation for proper medication safety. All individuals who take medications should be familiar with medication safety techniques.
The Right Patient
When taking your medication, it may seem trivial to check if you are the correct person to receive the medication. Therefore, many people may believe it is an unnecessary step.
However, anyone who’s ever had to manage multiple medication regimes — either for themselves, family members, pets, or others — knows that it is often complicated. It is important for the patient and their medical team to confirm the right person is receiving a given medication.
At Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention, we take multiple steps to ensure that each person is receiving the medication prescribed to them, not others. Your safety is our number one priority.
The Right Medication
When taking multiple medications, it can be easy to lose track of the specifics of each one. Many people may find it difficult to name their exact daily medications or their purposes.
While in treatment, we can help you to keep track of your medications. Our medical staff always checks your medications against your regime to ensure you are taking the appropriate medications.
The Right Dose
Dosage is one of the most important aspects of medication. Inappropriately low or inappropriately high dosages can cause serious problems: at best, medication may be ineffective, and at worse, it may cause significant medical issues.
Your safety is our number one priority. Our expert staff will work with you to check your psychotropic medication dosages and ensure they are appropriate for your needs.
The Right Time
Many medications’ effectiveness is dependent on schedule. Because of the structure of our programs, some may find it challenging to maintain their established medication schedules. With the help of our team, we’ll make sure you never miss your psychotropic medication, whenever you need it.
The Right Route
“Route” is a term that refers to a medication’s location of administration. For example, some medications may be taken orally, whereas others may be administered via IV or into the rectum. Our team of professionals will work with you to ensure your route is correct.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you prescribe me new medications?
The prescription of new medicines is not part of our medication management services. To receive help on beginning new medications, it is important to speak with your health care team.
- What kind of medications can you help me with?
As a mental health clinic, Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention primarily aids our clients with psychotropic medications. If you need assistance with a non-psychotropic medicine, speak to your doctor or one of our staff members for further information.
- Will I have the last say in my medications?
It is our top priority to ensure that you can take your medications the way that works for you. With few exceptions, including when needed to prevent harm to yourself or others, we will ensure that you maintain full control over your medication. Our staff will work with you and guide you through any changes to your medications we may suggest.
Alter San Diego Crisis Intervention, located in the College Area of San Diego, California, offers holistic, trauma-informed care for people with mental health conditions. All people deserve quality care. To learn about our services and what we can do for you, call (619) 457-4613.
