Questions to Ask
the Pharmacist Checklist

Pharmacists are an important part of the medication-safety team, but caregiver questions often surface after the family has already left the pharmacy: “Can this be taken with food?” “Why does this bottle look different?” “Which refill is current?” “Does this need special storage?”

A written question list helps the caregiver use the pharmacy conversation well and keeps uncertainty from turning into guesswork later.

Questions about how the medication should be taken

• What is this medication for?
• How should it be taken?
• Does it need to be taken with food, without food, or with a certain amount of water?
• Are there foods, drinks, supplements, or over-the-counter medicines we should ask about before using with it?
• Does the medication need to be taken at a specific time of day?
• What should we do if a dose is missed?
• Can the tablet or capsule be cut, crushed, opened, or mixed with food, or should it stay intact?
• Does the medicine require a special measuring device?

Questions about side effects and safety

• What common side effects should we know about?
• Which symptoms or reactions should prompt a call to the clinician or pharmacist?
• Are there any signs that require urgent or emergency attention?
• Could this medicine increase dizziness, drowsiness, constipation, or fall risk?
• Are there duplicate ingredients across prescription and over-the-counter products?
• Are there important medication, supplement, or food interactions we should discuss?
• Does this medicine require monitoring or follow-up that we should confirm with the prescriber?

Questions about a new or changed prescription

New prescriptions are a good time to make sure the family understands what changed and how that change should appear in the medication record.

• Is this a new medication or a replacement for something already on the list?
• Has the strength, dose, formulation, or directions changed?
• Should an older prescription remain active in the pharmacy system?
• Is the new appearance due to a manufacturer or generic change?
• What information should we update on our home medication list?
• Should we contact the prescriber if the written instructions we have do not match this prescription?

Questions about refills, insurance, and supply

• How many refills remain?
• When is the earliest refill date?
• Does the prescription need a new authorization from the prescriber?
• Is there a supply problem or backorder we should know about?
• Is there an alternate manufacturer, strength, or formulation that would require prescriber approval?
• Can the pharmacy synchronize refill dates for medications when appropriate?
• Is there a packaging option that could make the routine easier to manage?

Questions about storage and medication cleanup

• How should this medication be stored?
• Does it need refrigeration or protection from heat, light, or moisture?
• How long is it usable after opening or mixing, if applicable?
• What is the safest way to dispose of an outdated or unused medication?
• Does this pharmacy offer medication take-back or disposal services?
• What should we do with old medication bottles that still have personal information on the label?

Bring medication-list discrepancies to the pharmacist

If the pharmacy record, hospital discharge list, specialist list, and home medication list do not match, do not silently pick one version. Bring the discrepancy into the conversation.

When should caregivers make a pharmacist question list?

• A new medication is prescribed.
• The medication directions are unclear.
• A pill, bottle, manufacturer, or label looks different than expected.
• The person has several prescribers or uses more than one pharmacy.
• The caregiver notices possible duplicate medicines or ingredients.
• Refills are becoming difficult to coordinate.
• The medication list and pharmacy record do not match.
• The family is preparing for a medication review or brown-bag review.

Keep the answers with the medication record

After the conversation, update the family’s medication list and schedule only when the appropriate healthcare professional has provided the clarification or change. Keep unanswered clinical questions clearly marked so another caregiver does not mistake uncertainty for an instruction.