Our Pharmacy Department is part of your healthcare team, and ensures the safe and effective use of medication throughout our health service.
Important information
Monash Health Pharmacy Departments are working with doctors and patients to ensure that medicines prescribed through Monash Health telehealth appointments can be safely dispensed and supplied while reducing the need to present in person at a Monash Health site during the social distancing restrictions due to COVID-19.
Your Monash Health Pharmacy can arrange for many medicines to be posted directly to your home. Please use our new online repeat prescription ordering service at medication.monashhealth.org, or contact your nearest Pharmacy site (details below) to discuss options for medicines supply. If you usually collect your medicines from your local Community Pharmacy, please speak to your doctor about options for electronic transmission of your prescription so that your usual Pharmacy can arrange delivery to your home.
Pharmacists will supply most medications during your stay and at discharge. Pharmacists provide advice to medical staff, nursing staff and patients. If you would like written information about your medications, please ask for a Consumer Medicines Information (CMI) leaflet.
Inpatients will not be charged for medicines supplied. However, any medicines dispensed on discharge will incur the same PBS co-payment as community pharmacies.
What does a hospital pharmacist do?
The main role of a hospital pharmacist is to promote the safe and effective use of medication by:
- working with the healthcare team to ensure the selection of the best medication at the correct dose for an appropriate duration
- monitoring and preventing or minimising side effects and drug interactions
- providing medication counselling to patients
- dispensing medications for patients in wards, the emergency department and those attending outpatient clinics
- manufacturing specialised medications such as chemotherapy for cancer treatment, mixtures and creams etc
- offering specialist drug therapy advice to doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals within the hospital
- visiting patients in their home after discharge to ensure safe medication management, and to prevent errors and readmission to hospital.
What should I know about my medicines?
Below is a list of questions you may wish to ask you pharmacist and/or doctor with regards to new and old medicines that have been prescribed for you:
- the name of the medicine
- the purpose of the medicine
- how and when to take the medicine
- any possible side effects
- any foods, drinks and/or medicines that need to be avoided whilst taking the medicine
- any actions to avoid whilst taking the medicine e.g. driving, operating machinery
- any additional advice about the medicine
If you experience any unexpected or troublesome side effects, especially if the medicine is new, or if you have concerns about any of your medicines, please let your nurse, doctor and/or pharmacist know.
Consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflets and other information sheets are available from the pharmacy department. Ask your pharmacist if you would like information on any medicines you are taking.
What will the hospital pharmacist ask me?
To optimise your medication therapy, a pharmacist may need to ask you some questions. For example:
- Do you have allergies to any medicines or food additives?
- Have you had a bad reaction to any medicines in the past?
- What medicines were you taking before you came into hospital? This includes any eye drops, inhalers, injections, patches, non-prescription medicines, the oral contraceptive pill, vitamins and herbal medicines.
- Do you have a regular pharmacy where you go to buy your medicines?
- Does a pharmacy pack your medicines into a dosette or similar container for you?
- Do you have any of the following cards?
- Medicare card
- healthcare card
- repat card
- safety net card
- pensioner concession card
- Commonwealth Seniors Health card
Medicines information centre
The drug information centre is a service offered through the Pharmacy Department. It provides telephone advice, and where appropriate, may act as a referral service by directing you to the best available resource to respond to your query or concern. The drug information centre is a service for the general public and health professionals for advice and assistance on:
- new medicines
- adverse effects of medicines
- medicine interactions
It specialises in medicines for children, during pregnancy and breast feeding and for women’s health.
Online Repeat Prescription Ordering Service
You can now order your prescriptions online at our new online ordering services 24 hours a day.
Go to medication.monashhealth.org. Please order your medications at least 2 business days before you want to collect them, or at least 7 business days if receiving in the post.
If you have an urgent matter or you need to collect your medications in less than 2 business days, please contact our Pharmacy team using the Pharmacy Contact Information below.
Pharmacy Contact Information
Pharmacy Department General Enquiries (excluding outpatient prescription pick up)
Outpatient prescription pick up and enquiries
Monash Medical Centre
Casey Hospital
Cranbourne
Dandenong Hospital
Kingston Centre
Phone
Contact Hours
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Outpatient prescriptions dispensed for Kingston Centre clinics only
Monash Children’s Hospital
Monash Health Translation Precinct
Moorabbin Hospital
122 Thomas Street
Outpatient prescription pick up may occur outside of these hours following prior arrangement with the pharmacist. Monday to Friday times above exclude Public Holidays.