title: In Connecticut: improving patient medication management in primary care.
abstract: Medications are a cornerstone of the management of most chronic conditions. However, medication discrepancies and medication-related problems-some of which can cause serious harm-are common. Pharmacists have the expertise to identify, resolve, monitor, and prevent these problems. We present findings from a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services demonstration project in Connecticut, in which nine pharmacists worked closely with eighty-eight Medicaid patients from July 2009 through May 2010. The pharmacists identified 917 drug therapy problems and resolved nearly 80 [corrected] percent of them after four encounters. The result was an estimated annual saving of $1,123 per patient on medication claims and $472 per patient on medical, hospital, and emergency department expenses-more than enough to pay for the contracted pharmacist services. We recommend that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation support the evaluation of pharmacist-provided medication management services in primary care medical homes, accountable care organizations, and community health and care transition teams, as well as research to explore how to enhance team-based care.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA. marie.smith@uconn.edu
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Margherita R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Giuliano
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Starkowski
mesh_terms: D014487:Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S.; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D003237:Connecticut; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008484:Medicaid; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D059065:Medication Reconciliation; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010595:Pharmacists; D011320:Primary Health Care; D024382:Professional Role; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D017751:Safety Management / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States