Pharmacists should reach out to consumers in celebration of American Pharmacists Month, APhA suggests

October marks the beginning of American Pharmacists Month, and American Pharmacists Association (APhA) is urging pharmacists to build relationships with their patients. This year, the theme for the month is "Know your pharmacist, know your medicine," according to an APhA press release

There are more than 300,000 licensed pharmacist nationwide, and patients are twice as likely to consult their pharmacists if they know their name, according to the APhA.

"The goal of American Pharmacists Month is to encourage these consumer-pharmacist interactions," APhA noted in its release. "There is a clear relationship between the consumer, their pharmacist, and the consumer’s knowledge of how to use medications with lower risk of adverse effects and better health outcomes."

Consumers are also twice as likely to make time to discuss their medications with their pharmacists, more likely to read labels, and know the active ingredients in their medications, APhA says.

"American Pharmacists Month opens the door for pharmacists to reach out to their patients by highlighting the profession," APhA notes. "It encourages pharmacists to participate in promotional events and activities to heighten awareness of the services they offer and help consumers get to know them better."

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