Regional Health medication safety officer Cindy Way says, "It's vital for patient safety that patients have a list of medications on them at all times."  Medications, they come in all shapes and sizes, forms and functions, and it's for that reason Regional Health says keeping a comprehensive list of all YOUR medications is a good idea.  And it's a good one in a number of situations.  Way says, "The list is vital to the physicians to make decisions on their therapy. The list is vital every time they go to a doctor or a dentist. This aids the physician in how to treat and in the case the patient is hospitalized. We either want to know what they're on to continue it, or perhaps to stop it."  And Regional Health is making it easy for those wishing to make a list of their medications.  Coming up in December, the hospital, along with South Dakota State University pharmacy students, will be offering patients in-house medication reviews.  Way says, "The pharmacy students are in their fourth year of training. They have adequate knowledge of the medications and can very easily interpret the information on the prescription bottle and write that on a list the patient can then take with them."  Regional Health says the medication reviews being offered are a win for both patient safety, as well as the students.  For the students, it offers them valuable community service for their resumes.  And for the patients, they'll leave with a handy medication list that could save precious time in an emergency situation.  For Black Hills FOX, I'm Brendyn Medina.  The free-of-charge medication reviews will be offered Wednesday, Dec. 12 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the main lobby of Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Brendyn Medina