Making a Medication Checklist
Making a medication checklist is easy and only takes a few minutes. The list should include the following:
- Name: What is the name of the medicine?
- Amount: How much do you take?
- When: When do you take the medicine?
- Purpose: Why are you taking the medicine? What is it supposed to do?
Include any other non-prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, herbs and vitamin supplements on your list. These may interact with the prescription medicines, so it's important for your provider to know everything you are taking. Include self-testing that needs to be done for that medicine (for example, blood sugar testing for insulin). Make a new list each week or make photocopies. Make notes of any side effects that you have from your medicine and make sure to discuss with your provider.
Be sure to take your lists with you to your next health care appointment, along with your medicine bottles.
An example of a checklist you might make is below (showing two days of the week):
Medications Instructions Sun Mon
Metformin
500 mg tablet
Take one tablet twice a day with food
✓ 8 am
✓ 5 pm
✓ 8 am
✓ 5 pm
Simvastatin
40 mg tablet
Take one tablet every night
at bedtime ✓ 9 pm
Using a Medication Checklist
1. Write the date at the top of each new checklist.2. Check off medicines as you take them.
3. If you are late taking a medicine, write down the time you actually took it.
*This information will help your provider know if your medicines are doing what they should.
My Medicine
Keep a list of the medicines you take. Use a card and keep it in your wallet.