CCA, CPESN MA partner to provide medication management services
Commonwealth Care Alliance and the Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN MA) are partnering to directly engage pharmacies to improve care for high-cost, high-needs individuals.
CCA, a not-for-profit community-based healthcare organization, which coordinates and provides care for over 40,000 members with complex medical, behavioral health, and social needs, is the first integrated health plan to establish a direct partnership with CPESN MA, a network of 41 independent community pharmacies throughout the Commonwealth.
CPESN MA pharmacies, leveraged as local health hubs, will work in tandem with CCA clinicians to provide clinical pharmacy services to CCA members in order to help remove barriers to treatment and improve medication management and associated clinical outcomes. Subsequently, this partnership allows community pharmacists to collaborate with both primary care providers in the CCA network and the health plan directly, which is particularly critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Pharmacists are a crucial part of the CCA interprofessional care teams, and we recognize the importance of this role as we develop new, innovative solutions to improve the health and well-being of the individuals we so proudly serve,” said Derek McFerran, senior director of pharmacy at CCA. “Our partnership with CPESN MA will transform the way our members engage with pharmaceutical care and manage their health, which will be vital to addressing clinical, behavioral, and social challenges during the pandemic and beyond.”
CCA will work with CPESN MA over the next year to implement clinical initiatives focused on gaps in care and on medication adherence for individuals with conditions such as diabetes or COPD. These initiatives will include medication reconciliation, packaging, synchronization, and delivery. Pharmacists will have the opportunity to screen patients, assess their needs, communicate with care teams, including the primary care physician, and make interventions as needed. This partnership will focus on reducing polypharmacy, providing guideline recommended therapy, improving medication adherence, and identifying social determinants of health while optimizing post-discharge medication reconciliation.
“We’re excited for the opportunity to expand services that improve the health and well-being of CCA members,” said Tim Fensky, Luminary, CPESN Massachusetts and Sullivan’s Healthcare chief pharmacy officer. “The goal of our partnership is to provide enhanced medication management services that improve clinical outcomes for people who need this extra support.”