December Community Medical School

• By Jessica Bagwell
• December 29, 2014

The third in this year’s Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) Community Medical School series featured a presentation over prescription safety aimed at older adults by Trista Askins Bailey, Pharm.D., TTUHSC School of Pharmacy assistant professor. Bailey’s presentation examined the history, risks and safe handling of medications, with an emphasis on procedures that should be observed by senior citizens who regularly take one or more prescriptions.

Bailey, who works in geriatric pharmacy, cautioned seniors to consider the “5 W’s” when taking medication:
• What is the medication?
• Why is it taken?
• What does it do?
• When should it be taken?
• What is the follow-up or monitoring that should go along with it?

Bailey also examined the potential interactions of prescriptions with other prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and supplements, many of which are dangerous. Finally, Bailey answered audience questions regarding dosage, generic drug efficacy and expired medication clean out.

The event opened with a brief presentation by Richard Winn, M.D., Texas Tech Physicians infectious disease specialist. Winn examined this year’s instance of the flu and the limited effectiveness of the offered flu shot.