Being aware of what medications your patients are taking – and why – can help you avoid emergencies, as well as determine the best course of action when an emergency strikes.
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Every Visit Matters
Dr. Don Cohen
New patients often complete detailed medical histories before their first appointment, providing you with essential insight into their current and past health conditions that may influence treatment decisions. However, because patients’ health can shift between visits, regularly updating medical histories at every appointment is essential to providing safe, informed care.
Dr. Don Cohen, Chief Clinical Officer with HealthFirst, recommends reviewing medical histories with “every patient, every visit,” calling it a crucial part of the appointment. That doesn’t mean you need to review every question you’ve already asked, but it does mean confirming current medications, checking for any additions, and ensuring you’re fully informed before proceeding. He also stresses the importance of measuring blood pressure at every appointment, which can help flag issues before they become emergencies. The key, Dr. Cohen said, is to know what to ask. A simple question, such as “Has anything changed?” may not elicit a helpful response. Patients may not consider their new sleep apnea diagnosis or recent course of dual antibiotics to be relevant. It’s up to the provider to dig deeper.
When you’re treating patients with a known condition, inquire about common symptoms and ask if they’re experiencing any. For example, diabetic patients should be asked to bring a glucometer and strips so that you can assess their current blood sugar levels. Morning levels or even recent A1C results don’t tell the full story, especially if dietary intake just before the appointment might skew results.
Asking pointed questions can also help patients uncover undiagnosed conditions. For example, Dr. Cohen once noticed a patient was limping and inquired about the cause. He learned the patient was having migrating knee pain and he encouraged the patient to see his family physician. The patient was diagnosed with an advanced case of Lyme disease. “It’s really important to ask the question if we see something that doesn’t look right,” Dr. Cohen said. “You’ll be amazed at what you find out and how you can really be helpful.”
The Right Tools to Stay Prepared
No matter how well you know your patients, a medical emergency can still happen unexpectedly in your practice. Every team member should be trained in CPR, your office should have a clearly defined emergency response plan, and regular drills should be part of your routine. Just as important is having the right emergency equipment and medications readily available.
To support dental professionals in this essential responsibility, HealthFirst provides education on emergency preparedness and offers a full line of emergency medical kits. Their line of STAT KIT® Emergency Medical Kits keeps emergency devices and medications organized in a mobile case, so you can quickly find what you need when every second counts. Every kit comes with seven basic medications, including epinephrine, glucose, diphenhydramine, aspirin, albuterol, nitroglycerin, and naloxone. HealthFirst’s OnTraq® software tracks the expiration dates, lot numbers, backorder status, and upcoming replenishments of each medication in the kit, making it easier to stay compliant and ready.
As Dr. Don Cohen puts it, being unprepared could mean you're not practicing under the appropriate standard of care. “These kits have become the standard,” he said. “Without them and without proper training, horrible things can happen. Being prepared makes all the difference in the world.”
