Choosing the right pharmacy can be just as important as choosing the right doctor. So what are the things you should be looking for when making this decision?

Expert pharmacist. This is the most important thing. A pharmacy who has all the frills, but who doesn't have a pharmacist who can tell you offhand which medications will make you drowsy or which generic you can substitute for an expensive prescription, isn't worth supporting. Your pharmacist should be able to tell you what to do about your child's skin rash or diarrhoea.

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Close to home. Get a pharmacy that is close to home. This is convenient if you run out of prescription medication on the weekend or your child has an inexplicable rash on a Sunday morning. The last thing you want to do then is to travel fifteen kilometers to the pharmacy.

Price war. Pharmacies can differ as much as fifty percent on the prices of certain products. Go to three or four pharmacies and compare prices on three standard products before you make your final decision. If your pharmacy is a rip-off, they're going to exhaust your medical aid benefits a lot more quickly than is necessary.

Delivery rate. This is so handy if you're home alone and ill. Or you just don't have the time to stop and get those antibiotics before your in-laws arrive for the summer holidays. Remember if the deliveryman is coming anyway, he can also bring you a tube of toothpaste, vitamins or a bottle of shampoo – or whatever you may need. Many a crisis has been averted by one phone call to the pharmacy.

Cash or account? Having too many accounts can be a problem. They do lead to unnecessary temptation in many cases. But a pharmacy account can be a real lifesaver three days before payday when you get a migraine or have a nasty bladder infection. Just make a point of settling it in full when you do get paid, otherwise a pharmacy account can accumulate a staggering balance quite quickly.

Good admin. Does your pharmacist know who you are? Do you sometimes get billed for the wrong things or have they ever misplaced or lost one of your prescriptions? Shoddy admin on the pharmacy's part could land you in a medical aid admin nightmare. Choose a pharmacy whose admin is efficient and dependable. Remember, if you are in a hurry, to phone in your prescriptions before you fetch them. In this way they can be processed without you having to stand and wait at the counter.

Linked to medical aid. This makes life so much easier. If your prescription medication accounts can be submitted directly to medical aid, you don't have to submit them yourself or scrounge around for bits and pieces of paper and receipts. If your pharmacy doesn't have this facility, maybe you should start thinking of moving on. Check the levy you are being charged. These can vary quite a bit from pharmacy to pharmacy.

Good variety. Does this pharmacy stock a good variety of medication? Do they also have a natural medicine section? Will they order something for you that they don't currently stock? Are they a one-stop shop for a quick birthday gift, hair dye, painkillers, sunglasses and contraceptives?

Business hours. You work long hours and you want a pharmacy that will be open after your working hours. Preferably, there must be a pharmacist who can give you something for your migraine on Sunday morning. Or for the spider bite at 9 p.m. on a Wednesday evening. Diseases or injuries do not keep regular working hours. And another point – try and avoid the pharmacist in the morning early or between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. These are rush hour times and you could wait a long time to be served.

Additional services. What additional services does your pharmacy offer? Can you have your blood pressure and cholesterol levels checked? Is there a nursing sister on duty some mornings of the week? Make use of these services, as they can save you a lot of money on doctor's visits.

(Susan Erasmus, Health24)

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