6 Ways the CVS Pharmacy App Makes Caring for Sick Kids Easier #MyCVSApp

This is a sponsored post

We know there’s an app for everything but my favorite apps are the ones that help me streamline my life. Earlier this month I shared 6 reasons why I love using the CVS Pharmacy app but it wasn’t until Emily got sick with strep this week that I realized how much the free CVS Pharmacy mobile app simplifies my life to help me care for my family when they’re sick so they can feel better faster.

This week Emily was at our pediatrician’s office for a sore throat right before spring break started. With a high pollen count, we weren’t sure if it was post-nasal drip from seasonal allergies or if it was strep throat but a trip to the doctor confirmed the latter. A prescription for her antibiotics was sent directly to our local CVS. As an Rx Caregiver for my kids and husband, I can access prescription records for my family members. Because I have added my kids to the prescriptions I manage through the app, I was able to be notified that Emily’s prescription was ready, check for drug interactions, set medication reminders, and more. I also love the convenient features that the app provides to MinuteClinic to get the medical care my kids need faster.

Pharmacy Text Alerts

Normally I’d swing by our local CVS on our way home from the pediatrician’s office and be frustrated by having to wait for our medicine to be ready with a sick kid in tow. This time I knew that I could head straight home because I’d get a text alert when Emily’s prescription was ready.

Even though I received a text from our CVS Pharmacy soon after we got home, Emily appreciated being able to tuck her sick self in on the couch with a blanket and a book rather than having to wait miserably in the car. When you sign up for texts from CVS, you’ll also get a text when it’s time to refill a prescription, notifications about flu shot availability and other helpful healthcare information.

Easy Pickup

Thanks to the CVS Pharmacy App, picking up a prescription is easier than ever. Instead of giving the pharmacist my name and having them look through the bin of white prescription bags for the one tagged with our last name, I simply present the app for the pharmacist to scan the barcode or use the pickup number. I can sign for my prescription directly on my phone rather than using the log book on the counter.

 

Here’s a 30 second video that shows exactly how easy it is to get your prescription using the CVS Pharmacy App and how it secures your personal information.

Set Medication Reminders

The Med Remind feature on the iPhone app makes it easier to remember to take medication on a schedule.

Emily’s antibiotics need to be taken twice a day so I added her prescription to the app and selected the time of day I get push notifications that it’s time for her to take her medicine. When the reminder notification pops up, I pass my phone to Emily who taps on it to indicate that she’s taken her dose.

Check for Drug Interactions

Anytime anyone in your family is taking medication (both prescription and over the counter), they’re at risk for a drug interaction with other medications, vitamins, supplements, and foods. Since interactions can change the way a drug is absorbed by the body, make medications stronger or less effective, or increase the drug’s side effects, I always appreciate being able to use the app to check for drug interactions.

Find a MinuteClinic

As luck would have it, Thomas’ throat started to hurt on Friday afternoon. As fabulous as it is to have a pediatrician’s office who always has a doctor in the office on weekends and holidays, we debated on taking Thomas to see someone that night. Using the CVS Pharmacy App, I was able to check on the hours of nearby MinuteClinics, see wait times, and even select a clinic to visit.

Even though we decided to wait until the next morning to have him see our pediatrician, I appreciated that I could schedule an appointment and hold a place in line via the app.

Receive a Text Alert When You’re Next in Line at MinuteClinic

No one loves having to make their child more miserable than necessary by having to wait around to see a doctor for a diagnosis. I love that the CVS Pharmacy App will alert you when you’re next in line for your MinuteClinic appointment. Since our CVS is just a short drive away, I could make an appointment via the app, monitor the wait time until our appointment, and then drive right over upon receiving the text alert to minimize the in-store wait time with a sick child.

 

We knew it could be a little too early to determine if Thomas had strep and decided to hold off on a visit to the MinuteClinic but appreciated that we could have gone and used our insurance just as we would have at our doctor’s office.

Thankfully Thomas’ rapid strep test given at our our pediatrician’s office the following morning was negative and Emily is on the mend now that she’s halfway through her course of antibiotics. Everyone is feeling better and able to enjoy spring break but I’m thankful that the CVS Pharmacy app made my life a little easier when both of my kids weren’t feeling well.

If you don’t already have the free CVS Pharmacy app on your phone, download it for iOS or Android. For more information about the CVS Pharmacy app, follow the official CVS Pharmacy ExtraCare Twitter account or “Like” the CVS Pharmacy Facebook page for the latest deals, savings advice, inside scoop updates, and exclusive coupons and contests.

I’m proud to partner with CVS Pharmacy for the CVS Pharmacy App Activation. I am being sponsored by CVS Pharmacy for my posts and activities, but all opinions expressed are my own, and all product claims or program details shared should be verified at CVS.com or with the appropriate manufacturers. Images courtesy of CVS.