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What Is a MedsCheck and Do You Actually Need One?
- Nancy Tran
- Jul 9
- 3 min read
By Phillip Kim, PharmD | Pharmacy Fridays
If you take multiple prescriptions, have questions about side effects, want to review dosages, or are unsure whether your supplements and medications work well together, a MedsCheck may be worth booking. This WellnessRX Pharmacy guide explains what a MedsCheck is, who it’s for, and when it can help you feel more confident about your medication routine.
MedsCheck is one of the most underused services in Ontario's pharmacy sector. Most patients have never heard of it, a significant number of those who have aren't sure what it actually involves, and almost nobody knows it's funded — meaning there's no cost to eligible Ontario residents. Here's what it is, who it's actually useful for, and what happens during one.
What Is a MedsCheck?
A MedsCheck is a structured, one-on-one medication review conducted by a pharmacist. It's not a prescription pickup. It's not a brief counter question. It's a dedicated consultation — typically 20 to 40 minutes — where we go through every medication you're taking, why you're taking it, how you're taking it, and whether that still makes sense.
The goal is to catch the kinds of things that fall through the cracks between your doctor's appointments: medications that might interact with each other, doses that may no longer be appropriate, drugs you may have been on long enough to reconsider, or supplements you've added that nobody has reviewed against your prescription list.
Who Is It For?
The program is funded for any Ontario resident who:
Takes three or more prescription medications regularly
Has been recently discharged from hospital
Has or is at risk for diabetes (Diabetes MedsCheck is a specific category)
Lives with a complex chronic condition
If you're taking multiple prescriptions for any ongoing condition — blood pressure, thyroid, diabetes, mental health, cholesterol, or others — you almost certainly qualify. The only requirement is being an Ontario resident with a valid OHIP card.
What We Actually Review
During a MedsCheck at WellnessRX, we cover:
Every prescription you're on — including whether you're taking it as directed, whether the timing is optimized, and whether anything about your lifestyle might be affecting how it works.
Over-the-counter medications — things like antacids, NSAIDs, and antihistamines are easily overlooked but interact with prescriptions far more commonly than people expect.
Supplements and vitamins — this is where most medication reviews at chain pharmacies stop short. We review every supplement against your prescription list, because certain combinations genuinely require adjustment. For the most common ones, see our supplement-medication interaction guide.
Adherence and side effects — if something is bothering you or you've quietly stopped taking a medication, that's worth knowing and problem-solving together rather than leaving in the background.
What You Walk Away With
A written medication summary — a document you can share with your doctor, a specialist, or take to a hospital or urgent care visit. For patients managing multiple conditions or seeing multiple prescribers, this document alone is worth the time.
If something looks like it could be safer, more effective, or better timed, we discuss it and — where appropriate — follow up with your physician directly.
MedsCheck vs. a Standard Pharmacy Visit
A standard prescription pickup gets you your medication, maybe a 60-second conversation if the pharmacy isn't busy. A MedsCheck gives you an actual review. For anyone taking more than a couple of regular medications, those are very different things.
How to Book
You can book your MedsCheck online at WellnessRX Bradford, or just call us at 905-775-7874. Bring a list of all your current medications — prescription, over-the-counter, and supplements — or just bring the bottles. We'll go from there.
If you're also managing blood sugar, blood pressure, or other chronic condition monitoring, we can fold that into the same appointment.
Phillip Kim, PharmD is the Pharmacy Director and a Certified Diabetes Educator at WellnessRX Pharmacy, 152 Holland St E #1, Bradford West Gwillimbury. This article is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for personalized medical advice.
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