It isn’t easy to ensure adequate drug therapy. According to the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the obstacles include inadequate therapy, non-adherence, unpleasant reactions, excessive dosage, and unneeded therapy.
Comprehensive medication management (CMM) strives to address these and other issues that may prevent patients from adhering to a drug regimen that will provide the most beneficial therapy feasible. The following are eight advantages of comprehensive medication management.
1. Medication Evaluation
A drug regimen, like many medical therapies, may not work — or may not work as well — for another patient. Several drugs that are beneficial to some patients may be dangerous to others.
CMM includes an evaluation of each patient’s medications — prescriptions, OTC drugs, vitamins, and supplements — to determine whether they are truly appropriate for the patient and will be the most effective, in conjunction with other medications and treatments, in addressing the underlying medical condition(s) or achieving defined goals. If any medicines are discovered to be ineffective, they are replaced. A patient’s capacity to self-administer medication is also considered.
2. Personalized Therapy
CMM also considers how a patient’s health status, including existing comorbidities, lifestyle, potential barriers to adherence (e.g., health literacy, financial, language, culture), and other aspects may affect pharmaceutical therapy. Following that, changes are made to formulate better a regimen and treatment plan that has the best potential for success.
3. Collaborative Care
CMM necessitates the participation of more than simply a clinical pharmacist. It should be a collaborative effort, with input and recommendations provided by primary care doctors, specialists, nurses, care coordinators, patient navigators, social workers, and others as needed. These individuals’ advice can address potential limitations that a pharmacist may be unaware of and improve a drug regimen.
4. Patient Engagement
In addition, effective CMM collaboration aims to actively involve patients in discussions and decisions about their drugs and treatments. According to a Pharmacy Times article, “CMM connects the goal of value-based payment models, which focus on improving outcomes, with the patient’s plan to better understand their complex pharmaceutical regimen.
This proactive, holistic approach to patient engagement results in an informed patient who grows to rely on coaching, technology, and integrated care to actively participate in their health management.”
5. Ongoing Regimen Evaluation
CMM is not a “one-and-done” activity like medication treatment management (MTM), which often focuses on a specific medication or illness. Instead, it is a continuous process that helps ensure a regimen stays suitable and optimal if drugs, medical conditions, and/or goals change or new barriers to adherence are introduced.
6. Improved Outcomes
The actions indicated above will eventually lead to improved clinical outcomes. According to a study published in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, “Medication adherence improved after exposure to face-to-face CMM services. CMM is a powerful practice paradigm that insurers and health plan managers should promote to boost drug adherence rates.”
7. Cost Savings
CMM, when implemented correctly, can not only enhance results but also reduce costs for patients and the healthcare system. “Researchers at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego estimate that illness and death resulting from nonoptimized medication therapy costs $528.4 billion annually, representing 16% of total United States healthcare expenditures in 2016,” according to a U.S. Pharmacist report. Patients save money by only purchasing medications judged to be appropriate and likely to be successful. Extra savings are realized through increased regimen adherence and reduced adverse events that may necessitate additional therapy. The health system saves money by lowering hospital admissions, ER visits, and time spent (i.e., squandered) on less productive regimen assessment and adjustment.
8. Increased Satisfaction
When you add all of these advantages together, you get higher patient and physician satisfaction. Patients gain better care while spending less money, feeling they are receiving specialized care and are valued and vital participants in their care. Physicians see improved outcomes, connect with more engaged, satisfied patients, and spend less time on medication-related difficulties, allowing them to focus on other vital aspects of patient care.