OutcomesMTM builds patient relationships, improves Star Measures

Medication therapy management (MTM) is a tool that more pharmacies are incorporating into their practices as a way to both strategically boost engagement with the local provider community and strengthen ties with patients, while at the same time improving adherence, lowering overall health costs and driving more revenue into the pharmacy.



But most of all, it improves patient relations and entices those patients to remain loyal to their community pharmacy, Debbie Abbott, a pharmacist at Webber Pharmacy in Mexico, Mo., told Drug Store News. “I’ve developed better relationships with [our] patients definitely,” she said. “That has improved greatly.”



Abbott currently has a small group of patients that she’s counseling through the aid of OutcomesMTM, addressing disease states like diabetes, hyperlipidemia and high blood pressure. “A lot of times I’ll go to the patients’ houses and meet face to face with them,” Abbott said. “I review a profile of the patient from our computer and figure out exactly what they’re taking and how they’re taking it, as well as any issues or problems that I can see based on that profile,” she said. “Then I go to the person and ask how our profile is comparing to what’s really happening.”



From there, Abbott reviews the medication regimen and helps address possible adherence hurdles like cost or side effects. “Adherence has improved on those patients,” Abbott said. “It has increased business because OutcomesMTM prompts us to contact those patients and take care of any issues.”



OutcomesMTM, which joined Cardinal Health in 2015, helps pharmacies identify MTM-eligible patients, file claims and simplifies the process of integrating MTM with pre-existing pharmacy workflow. OutcomesMTM solutions include its Connect™ Platform, which offers resources for providing comprehensive medication reviews, as well as its Targeted Intervention Program. TIP^® identifies such issues as nonadherence and gaps in care, and alerts pharmacists that the patient might benefit from a clinical offering.



“We receive a notification for one specific protocol to deal with, like a person who has diabetes but is not on a statin,” Abbott said. “There’s a recommendation that they should be on a statin. So, we’ll follow through with the physician and the patient and get them on that therapy.”



OutcomesMTM's TIP impacts a number of Part C and Part D Star Measures. According to OutcomesMTM, its contracted plans have outperformed the national average in triple-weighted Patient Safety Measures.



The TIP alerts make it easier to talk with the prescribers, Abbott added. “With the way the pharmacy landscape is now, doctors are more aware and more willing to take our input,” she said.



In addition to providing patient eligibility and therapy alerts, OutcomesMTM serves as an educational resource for pharmacists participating in the program. “They have quite a bit of information on their website,” Abbott said. “They’ll walk you through how to conduct MTM with diseases-state specific topics, like what’s currently recommended for a diabetic. It’s an easy place to go to get the answers.”



OutcomesMTM is one of the national leaders in the design, delivery and administration of MTM programs. Contracted with more than 50 U.S. health plans, OutcomesMTM provides MTM coverage to 5.5 million patients. The company links more than 100,000 local chain, independent and health-system pharmacy providers with contracted plans across the country.