Medication guidance is a primary-care service in which a licensed provider reviews your full list of prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements, checks for interactions, and simplifies the regimen to keep you safe. At Viva Medical Center in Doral, this service was built specifically for patients on multiple medications — a group that per CDC 2024 data includes roughly 22% of U.S. adults (five or more prescriptions), with at least one adverse drug event reported in one in five older adults each year. Managing several prescriptions is more complicated than it looks and riskier than most rushed-visit doctors have time to address. Whether you're starting a new treatment, juggling prescriptions from different specialists, or you simply want to understand what's actually in your medicine cabinet, our providers give you a thorough, unhurried review — in English or Spanish — at our Doral clinic.
Personalized Medication Review
A 30-to-45-minute one-on-one consultation with a licensed provider who reviews your complete medication profile from every angle. Before your visit, we ask you to bring every original bottle — prescriptions, OTC products, vitamins, herbal supplements, and any samples. Our provider cross-checks each product against your medical record and recent pharmacy records to flag duplications and interactions. Here is what the review covers:
- Full review of all prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, and supplements — including imported or non-U.S. products
- Drug interaction screening using current clinical databases — identifying combinations that may cause harm
- Dosing schedule assessment — simplifying complex regimens when possible (for example, grouping morning doses)
- Duplicate therapy identification — catching two medications from the same class prescribed by different specialists
- Printed personalized medication guide — drug names, classes (SSRIs, antihypertensives, oral diabetes medications), doses, timing, side effects, and storage
- Anticholinergic burden review in patients over 65 — a known fall-risk factor flagged in geriatric guidelines
Coordinated with Your Entire Care Team
If you already see a cardiologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, or other specialist, our team in Doral coordinates directly with each provider so everyone is working from the same information. We document every change in your electronic record the same day.
- Direct coordination with your primary care physician and specialists — via secure fax, patient portal, or phone
- Same-day updates to your electronic medical record — every provider sees the changes
- On-site lab services in the same building to monitor levels (kidney function, liver panel, INR) when medically necessary
- Seamless communication between providers — no need to repeat your story at every visit
- Bilingual support in English and Spanish throughout every interaction — including printed take-home materials
What to Expect at Your First Visit
Your initial consultation typically runs 30 to 45 minutes and is designed to be thorough, not rushed. Most patients leave with a clear plan, a printed guide, and a follow-up visit already on the calendar. Here is the step-by-step:
- Bring all original prescription bottles, OTC medications, vitamins, and supplements to your first appointment — including anything you recently stopped
- Complete medication profile review — interactions, timing, potential duplications, doses adjusted for your kidney function
- Receive a printed personalized Medication Guide you can reference at home or share with a family caregiver
- Quarterly medication reviews scheduled at no additional charge when this is part of your primary care
- Follow-up check-in at 2 weeks and 1 month to confirm adjustments are working and side effects are tolerable
- On-demand messaging through our secure patient portal for questions between visits — we reply within one business day
Supporting Patients with Complex Needs
Medication management is especially important for patients managing multiple chronic conditions. We focus on polypharmacy, hospital-to-home transitions, and older adults where the risk of interactions and falls is highest. Areas where we help the most:
- Polypharmacy reviews for patients on 5 or more medications — including a description of each drug's therapeutic goal
- Diabetes (oral antidiabetic agents, HbA1c monitoring) and hypertension (multi-class antihypertensive) medication optimization
- Coordination of psychiatric and neurological medications in collaboration with your specialist — we do not prescribe psychiatric medications without coordination
- Post-hospitalization medication reconciliation within 7 days of discharge — the highest-risk window per AHRQ
- Patients over 65 at higher risk for drug interactions and falls — review aligned with the current Beers criteria
Cost & Access Help
One of the most common questions we hear isn't clinical, it's financial: "Why does this cost so much?" Our team helps identify generic alternatives, manufacturer assistance programs, and legitimate coupons. We don't sell medications — we just help you understand what options exist for your prescription.
- Free guidance on manufacturer coupons, patient assistance programs, and generic alternatives
- Review of your insurance formulary to identify drugs on the lowest-tier copay
- Letters of medical necessity for prior authorizations — drafted by our clinical team when warranted
- Honest conversations about when a medication is essential and when a reasonable lower-cost alternative exists
Insurance & Affordability
- In-network with Oscar Health, Aetna, Cigna PPO, Medicare Advantage, and most major insurers
- Transparent self-pay rates — consultation starting at $45, no surprise charges on the bill
- Serving patients across Doral, Fontainebleau, Sweetwater, and all of Miami-Dade County
- In-person visits at our Doral clinic or secure telehealth for eligible follow-up reviews
Sources
- Medication Safety Program — U.S. FDA
- Medication Safety Basics — CDC
- Medication Reconciliation Primer — AHRQ (HHS)
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Viva help with my medications?
Our team reviews every prescription, over-the-counter drug, vitamin, and supplement you take. We screen for interactions against current clinical databases, identify duplications between specialists, adjust doses for your kidney and liver function, and hand you a printed guide in English or Spanish. The first visit runs 30 to 45 minutes and ends with a clear plan and a follow-up appointment already on the calendar.
Do you reconcile all my prescriptions, including from other doctors?
Yes. That is exactly what this service exists for. We reconcile every prescription regardless of who started it — primary care, specialists, urgent care, or a recent hospital stay. We ask for the original bottles and, when possible, your recent pharmacy history. Post-hospitalization reconciliation in the first 7 days after discharge is the highest-risk window per AHRQ and we prioritize it.
Can you help me with cost questions?
Yes. We do not sell medications, but we help you understand why a drug costs what it costs. We review your insurance formulary, identify equivalent generics, walk you through legitimate manufacturer coupons and patient assistance programs, and draft letters of medical necessity for prior authorizations when warranted. Cost guidance is included free as part of the consultation.
Do I need an in-person visit?
Your first review is usually in person at our Doral clinic because we need to see the original bottles and confirm dosing. Follow-up reviews at 2 weeks, 1 month, and quarterly are often eligible for secure telehealth for established patients. Call +1 305 209 0001 to confirm telehealth eligibility before your visit.
Will you coordinate with my specialists?
Yes, and we consider it a core part of the service. If you see a cardiologist, endocrinologist, psychiatrist, or other specialist, we coordinate directly with each provider via secure fax, patient portal, or phone. We document every change in your electronic record the same day so all providers are working from the same current information.
Is your team bilingual?
Yes. Every provider, medical assistant, and front-desk staff member at Viva Medical Center speaks English and Spanish. The entire consultation — including the printed medication guide, dosing instructions, side-effect warnings, and patient-portal messaging — is available in both languages at no extra cost.
Do you help with refills?
Yes, for established patients. Refills for stable chronic medications (blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid, SSRIs, antihistamines, etc.) are often handled through a brief telehealth visit or secure portal message without requiring an in-person visit every time. We only request labs or an in-person check when the medication clinically requires it.
How is this different from a pharmacy?
A pharmacy dispenses and sometimes screens for interactions at fill time, but a pharmacy does not own your full medical record, does not adjust doses, and does not coordinate with your specialists. Our service is medical — a licensed provider with access to your chart, labs, and specialist notes who can adjust, stop, or change prescriptions. It complements your pharmacy, it does not replace it.
Can you help me transition off a medication safely?
Yes. Stopping certain medications abruptly can be dangerous. Our physicians provide structured tapering plans and monitor you through the transition to minimize withdrawal effects and ensure your condition remains stable. If the medication was originally started by a specialist, we coordinate with that specialist before making changes.
Do you offer prescription renewals via telehealth?
Yes. Medication reviews, prescription renewals, and dosage adjustments for established patients are frequently handled via secure telehealth video visits — no in-office visit required for many routine medication needs. Call +1 305 209 0001 to confirm telehealth eligibility for your specific medication before the visit.