Keep a List of Your Medicines

You can help make your care safer by keeping a list of all your medicines and how you take them. Keep the list with you at all times and show the list to your doctor, nurse, pharmacist or other healthcare professional any time you receive care. This way, your healthcare professional will know what medicines you are taking and how. This can prevent a mistake with your medicines like missing a dose of a medication you need, or getting two medications that shouldn't be taken together.

Your list should include all your medicines, even medicine that you buy without a prescription. Any time you begin to take a new medicine, add it to your list. Don't forget things like vitamins, minerals, herbals remedies and medicines you take for pain!

Some useful forms and wallet cards that you can use to keep your list of medicines are available from the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety "It's Safe to Ask" website:

http://www.safetoask.ca/

DOWNLOAD: (Example of a medication list card)
http://www.safetoask.ca/wp-content/uploads/wallet-02-09bil.pdf