“I can see the light bulb go on.” That’s how Alex describes the moment when his patients understand how their medications can help improve their health and quality of life.
Alex joined CCA in 2020. He plays a key role in the organization’s unique approach to care. By talking to members, Alex helps them to better understand the medications they’re prescribed.
“When patients are released from the hospital, we educate them on the medicine they need to take,” he says. “They learn why they should take it, what to look out for, and when to ask for help.” Alex believes this makes members feel more in control over their own health.
As an example, Alex explains how he would work with a member who has heart failure. He guides the patient on how to reduce extra body fluid through medication and how to manage their weight.
As a pharmacist, Alex works together with a member’s other providers to make sure all their medications are working as they should. This can be especially helpful for members with multiple chronic conditions. This team approach is an example of how CCA serves its members.
“We see members after they’ve been discharged from the hospital, and we help them get the follow-up care they need.”
Before joining CCA, Alex was a pharmacy resident at the University of Illinois, focusing on the treatment of viruses. This training served him well in the case of a CCA member with HIV who was hospitalized last year. When released from the hospital, the patient should have been prescribed three drugs as part of a follow-up care plan. However, one of them had not been prescribed, putting the patient at risk of developing drug resistance.
Alex learned which drug had not been prescribed. He connected the member with a provider who specializes in viruses. Lab tests were done to make sure the patient had not developed a drug resistance. His care plan was changed to include the missing medication.
Working together for the good of the patient describes CCA. For Alex, it all comes back to the idea of members having more control.
“It’s rewarding for me to see patients take their health into their own hands.”
From all of us at CCA, thank you to Alex and all our pharmacists for keeping our members healthy!