2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

334268
Academic-community partnership to implement medication therapy management (MTM) services in rural communities improves adherence to preventative health guidelines for rural patients with diabetes and/or hypertension


Wednesday, November 4, 2015 : 1:10 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Rebecca Jastrzab, PharmD, Public Policy and Management, The University of Arizona College of Public Health, Tucson, AZ
Melissa Johnson, PharmD, Medication Management Center, The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Medication Management Center, Tucson, AZ
Kate Johnson, RN, BSN, Medication Management Center, University of Arizona – College of Pharmacy, Tucson, AZ
Elizabeth Hall-Lipsy, JD, MPH, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Rose Martin, PharmD, Medication Management Center, The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Medication Management Center, Tucson, AZ
Ann Taylor, MPH, MCHES, Center for Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomic Research, The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson, AZ
Terri Warholak, PhD, Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, University of Arizona College of Pharmacy, Tucson, AZ
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: The University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Medication Management Center (UAMMC ) is a leader in providing clinical pharmacy services – Medication Therapy Management (MTM) – nationwide.  MTM sessions include comprehensive medication reviews to assess for: safety concerns (e.g, drug-drug interactions, drug-disease interactions, duplicate therapy), gaps in care, adherence to medications, and cost savings opportunities. Follow-up reviews ensure concerns are addressed and complications are prevented.  UAMMC has implemented a pilot hybrid MTM program for rural Arizonans with chronic conditions.  This model relied on the relationship that rural facilities and providers have with their patients in reinforcing and implementing recommended changes. 

Methods: UAMMC collaborated with five rural facilities (two community health centers and three independent pharmacies) to implement MTM services for patients with multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes mellitus and/or hypertension. UAMMC met telephonically with partners to: build consensus on project goals, develop patient recruitment procedures, and develop strategies to facilitate participation. UAMMC pharmacists participated in regular telephonic patient conferences to: identify and resolve safety concerns and gaps in medication care and adherence, address medication cost and optimization, and identify adherence to national consensus preventive care guidelines.  Information and recommendations were shared with local providers.

Results: Patients (n=600) with diabetes, hypertension, or both were recruited.  The majority of participants had multiple chronic conditions and were far from meeting recommended preventative health screenings and immunizations. Analysis was conducted to compare participating sites by practice setting, location and patient demographics.

Conclusions: Community-academic MTM partnerships can improve adherence to preventative health guidelines for patients with chronic conditions in rural Arizona.

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice

Learning Objectives:
Describe a community-academic partnership to provide medication therapy management services (MTM) to chronically ill patients living in rural Arizona communities. Assess the impact of a community-academic partnership to provide MTM services on immunization rates and preventative health screenings of rural Arizona patients.

Keyword(s): Chronic Disease Management and Care, Rural Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I gradated with my PharmD in 2010 and with my MPH (Public Policy and Management track)in 2015. My research focus in Pharmacy School was in establishing Practiced Based Research Networks with the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy and rural areas in Arizona. Furthermore, I have been a clinical pharmacist for five years. My MPH academic interests involve Health Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics, more specifically program evaluations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5168.0: Rural and frontier health