Swedish Study Shows Increases As Patients Age:

As humans age, comorbid conditions rise. A study in Sweden, conducted over the course of three years, observed the prevalence of polypharmacy in individuals aged 65 and older. During this time period, the prevalence of polypharmacy (5 medications) was 44% and excessive polypharmacy (10 medications) was ~11%. The incidence of polypharmacy increased as well. A one year follow-up to this study showed the risk of polypharmacy development was 20% for adults ages 65-74 and 34% for ages 95 and up. At the three year mark, the data showed the risk of polypharmacy having increased to 53% for patients ages 65-74 and up to 87% for patients 95 years and older.

British Study Found Patients With Higher Education Levels Less Susceptible:

A British study of elderly patients at age 70 reported the number of medications and use increased for most. However, polypharmacy was mostly prevalent in patients with cardiovascular medications. This study also concluded that patients with higher education levels were less likely to experience polypharmacy. Researchers suggested that people with higher education levels may be more inclined to research medications and their side effects, as well as explore alternative therapies.

U.S. Studies Show Population-Based Variations:

While the elderly are most often affected by polypharmacy, recent studies have shown population-based variation. A 2015 study done in the U.S., found differences in racial and geographic patterns in polypharmacy. The study looked at three different regions including: the stroke buckle (coastal plains of the Carolinas and Georgia), the stroke belt (eight Southern states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana) and the stroke non-belt (the rest of the continental United States). In this study, researchers looked at age differences as well as race (African Americans versus Caucasians) and sex (male versus female). The results showed female patients living in the southern region had a higher prevalence of polypharmacy than their opposite groups. Polypharmacy prevalence was similar between both ethnic populations; however, African American were less likely to be prone to polypharmacy. Also of note, most patients in the study were being treated for dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes – diseases which often require at least 2-3 medications.

Polypharmacy More Prevalent For Certain Conditions:

Polypharmacy can also occur when patients are suffering from serious illnesses like HIV. There are several patients over the age of 50 years old living with HIV currently. For this group, comorbidities rise at a much higher rate than average. Although antiretroviral regimens have helped decrease the number of required medications, the existence of comorbidities with this illness continues to increase the likelihood for multiple drug treatments.

A retrospective cohort study was conducted between 2004-2006. This study looked at polypharmacy trends in HIV positive versus HIV negative men. The study found that polypharmacy increased in all patients despite age or HIV status; however, prevalence was higher for patients 50 years and older who were HIV positive and had medical insurance. The study also found that higher comorbidity index score equated to higher rates of polypharmacy.

Conclusions:

• Polypharmacy has been shown to be a greater risk in the elderly population.
• Studies have also shown the risk increases as people age.
• Polypharmacy is not equally distributed between regions of the United State either with males or females.
• Having HIV, or having multiple disease states, increased the likelihood of polypharmacy.
• While polypharmacy is sometimes appropriate for the standard of care despite demographics, the practice should be avoided when necessary.

How We Can Help:

PharmD Live®’s clinical pharmacists have advanced training and knowledge of pharmacology, drug-drug interactions, therapeutic interchanges and informatics. We partner with physicians and prescribers to provide patients with complex medical conditions the best health outcome possible.

Contact Us To Learn More.

References:

Rawle MJ, Richards M, Davis D, Kuh D. The prevalence and determinants of polypharmacy at age 69: a British birth cohort study. Rawle et al. BMC Geriatrics (2018) 18:118.

Morin L, Johnell K, Laroche ML, Fastbom J, Wastesson JW. The epidemiology of polypharmacy in older adults: register-based prospective cohort study. Clinical Epidemiology 2018:10 289–298.

Cashion W, McClellan W, Howard G, Goyal A, Kleinbaum D, Goodman M, Prince V, Muntner P, McClure LA, McClellan A, Judd S. Geographic Region and Racial Variations in Polypharmacy in the United States. Ann Epidemiol, 2015 June; 25(6): 433-438.

Ware D, Palella FJ, Chew KW, Friedman MR, D’Souza G, Ho K, Plankey M. Prevalence and trends of polypharmacy among HIV-positive and -negative men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study from 2004 to 2016. PLoS ONE 13(9): e0203890.

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Polypharmacy is most often defined as the simultaneous use of multiple drugs to treat a single medical condition. This often results in poor coordinated care for the patient because patients who live with multiple chronic conditions are more likely to have a decreased quality of life and self-rated health, lower mobility and functional ability.  Furthermore, these patients have increases in hospitalizations, physiological distress, use of health care resources, cost, and mortality. 

The term “polypharmacy” has also been associated with numerical definitions. Several studies have defined the number of medications fitting the criteria. Of these studies,  51 have defined polypharmacy as the use of ≥ 5 medications; while the second most common definition sited ≥ 6 medications. On the contrary, only one study for each ≥9, ≥10 and ≥11,  have been said to fit the definition.  Nonetheless, all studies sited a correlation between the increases in the number of medications taken with a rise in risk for adverse side effects. 

Moreover, the rise in incidences where polypharmacy can occur may be attributed, in part, to clinical guidelines which often encourage the use of several medications to treat one medical condition.  The impact of multiple medications being used for multiple conditions; however, is usually not studied in randomized controlled trials. In addition, predisposing determinants can also attribute to the rise in over medication. Such factors are defined as: 

• Age (65 years and older)  
• Sex (women)
• Education (lower levels of education)
• Hospitalizations (recent)
• Prescribers (more than one)

Given the number of studies on the subject, there remains a clear lack of one definitive definition of polypharmacy. This can prove challenging for healthcare professionals in evaluating the safety and efficacy of prescribing medications in a clinical setting. 

The concern remains for Medicare patients undergoing chronic care management treatments as they commonly fall victim to polypharmacy. Professionals treating patients with chronic care needs should remain mindful of the increased risks of over medication by working with their patients to ensure a proper review of all medications prescribed. By being cognizant of the possibility for polypharmacy, healthcare professionals can help patients achieve better health outcomes. 

References

• Masnoon N, Shakib S, Kalisch-Ellet L, Caughey GE. What is polypharmacy? A systematic review of definitions. Masnoon et al. BMC Geriatrics (2017) 17:230
• Sirois C, Laroche ML, Guenette L, Kroger E, Cooper D, Emond V. Polypharmacy in multimorbid older adults: protocol for a systematic review. Sirois et al. Systematic Reviews (2017) 6:104
• Rambhade S, Charkborty A, Shrivastava, Patil UK, Rambhade A. A Survey on Polypharmacy and Use of Inappropriate Medications. Toxicol Int. 2012 Jan-Apr; 19(1): 68–73. Retrieved June 23, 2019 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339249/
• Dwyer MO, Peklar J, McCallion P, McCarron M, Henman MC. Factors associated with polypharmacy and excessive polypharmacy in older people with intellectual disability differ from the general population: a cross-sectional observational nationwide study. BMJ Open 2016; pgs. 1-13.

Source:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3339249/

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Introduction

Obesity rates are at an all-time high at 42.4%, according to the latest CDC records from 2017 to 2018. This number has increased dramatically from 30.5% according to the records ranging from 1999 to 2000.¹ Obesity increases the risk for many health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, joint disorders, liver disease, gallstones, some types of cancer, and sleep apnea among other conditions.² More recently, obesity has been found to have a more significant effect on Covid-related complications. The higher a patient’s BMI, the greater the risk for hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, and death due to COVID-19. In June of 2021 FDA approved a new medication for weight loss called Wegovy. It’s the first GLP-1 agonist approved for weight loss since approving Saxenda (Liraglutide) in 2014. Wegovy is called “a game-changer” to treat obesity by both researchers and the media, including the New York Times, for its efficacy.

What is Wegovy( Semaglutide)?

Semaglutide was approved originally to enhance glycemic control in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) under the brand name Ozempic. Semaglutide at a higher dose now is approved under the brand name Wegovy to assist patients with weight loss, regardless of type 2 diabetes. See Appendix 1 for the evolution of Semaglutide.

Wegovy (Semaglutide) is a glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) receptor agonist made by Novo Nordisk. It is indicated with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for adult chronic weight management. Wegovy is recommended for adults with body mass index ≥ 30, or ≥ 27 in the presence of at least 1 weight-related comorbid condition such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or dyslipidemia. ⁴ 

Dosing information for Wegovy

Patients must administer Wegovy once weekly on the same day each week, at any time of day, with or without meals. Wegovy is administered subcutaneously in the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm. Recommended initial dosing for Wegovy is 0.25mg once weekly and then follows the dose escalation schedule in Table 1.

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How Wegovy works for weight loss

Wegovy mimics the glucagon-like peptide -1 (GLP-1) hormone in the body that targets areas in the brain that regulate appetite and food control. Wegovy causes reduced appetite and hunger, and an increased feeling of fullness after eating. This medication can help patients eat less, leading to weight loss.⁴

The efficacy of Wegovy

The landmark STEP 1 trial was a multi-center randomized, double-blind placebo trial with 1961 participants. The study was conducted by the manufacturer Novo Nordisk. The study enrolled adults with a BMI ﹥30 or ﹥27 with a comorbid condition. All patients with diabetes were excluded from the study. The results indicated an average weight loss of 14.9% compared with a 2.4 reduction for the placebo group, and one-third of the patients had 20% weight loss, this means someone who weighed 250 pounds at the beginning was down to 200 pounds at the end. All participants in the treatment group and the placebo group did lifestyle modification for weight loss. See the chart below with the results.05101520Placebo1/3TreatmentgroupAvgTreatmentGroupPercentage difference from baseline

Chart by Visualizer

Several other STEP trials are being conducted for Semaglutide. Please see appendix 2 below for a quick summary.⁵

Some risks of Wegovy

The most common side effects are GI side effects such as nausea (44%), vomiting (24%), and diarrhea (30%). The GI side effects are likely to be mild to moderate and typically transient, and go down the further one is from the day of the injection. Dose escalations can help mitigate some of the GI side effects. In the STEP 1 trial, 7% of the Wegovy participants discontinued treatment due to side effects vs. 3.1% in the placebo group. 

Wegovy has a black box warning for people with a personal or family history of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (MTC) or if you have an endocrine system condition called Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia syndrome type 2 (MEN2). “In rodents, semaglutide causes dose-dependent and treatment-duration-dependent thyroid C-cell tumors at clinically relevant exposures. It is unknown whether Wegovy causes thyroid C-cell tumors, including medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC), in humans as the human relevance of semaglutide-induced rodent thyroid C-cell tumors has not been determined.” ⁴ 

Wegovy may cause fetal harm, so patients must discontinue Wegovy if pregnancy is recognized. GLP agonist effects of lowering blood sugar shut off if blood glucose is normal. However, hypoglycemia can occur if patients are also taking insulin secretagogue or insulin simultaneously. Dose adjustments may be necessary for the insulin secretagogue or insulin. Wegovy has not been studied in patients with a history of pancreatitis. However, acute pancreatitis has occurred in clinical trials. Patients need to discontinue use promptly if pancreatitis is suspected. Do not restart if pancreatitis is confirmed. Acute gallbladder disease has also occurred in clinical trials. Clinical follow-up is recommended for patients with suspected cholelithiasis. Further warnings for Wegovy include diabetic retinopathy, acute kidney injury, increased heart rate, and suicidal thoughts/behavior. Monitor renal function initially and at dose escalations in patients reporting severe gastrointestinal reactions.⁴  Wegovy can cause delayed gastric emptying which may impact the absorption of other oral medications that are given along with Wegovy.

Cost of Wegovy

The average out-of-pocket price for one month’s supply of Wegovy is $1,967.73. It can be a few hundred dollars less expensive with the GoodRx application, or free if patients qualify for a manufacturer’s coupon. In general, Medicare prescription drug plans (Part D) do not cover this drug. Be sure patients contact their specific plan to verify coverage information.⁶ See the table below to compare the prices of anti-obesity medications.

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Monitoring patients with obesity to avoid ADEs and improve adherence

Obesity typically does not exist in isolation. Often other conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome are concomitant with obesity, and can get better with weight loss. But, do you as a physician or advanced practice professional know which medications will interact poorly with the addition of Wegovy? This takes time to address during a busy workday. How can you increase the rate of compliance? 

Having a chronic care management service in place provides the primary care practitioner a trusted partner who has the time to check for interactions and adherence. When the CCM is provided by a PharmD, physicians can benefit from the PharmD’s medication expertise to suggest alternative treatments with fewer side effects, provide reminders, and help manage the 17+ prescriptions each American takes annually12 according to 2018 information. 

Conclusion

Wegovy has been found to help patients lose weight in conjunction with appropriate lifestyle modification. The results for Wegovy far exceed what we have seen from other anti-obesity medications thus far. Currently, approved anti-obesity drugs require administration once, twice, or three times daily dosing versus a once-weekly regimen for Wegovy. However, something to consider is the high cost of the medication. Wegovy is also only available as an injectable. 

Wegovy may help avoid invasive surgical options for some patients by providing them with an alternative way to lose weight. When it comes to weight loss, lifestyle modification and behavior modification are very important. Wegovy may be beneficial in giving some obese patients a jump start to create healthy habits that can lead to weight loss success. 

Clinical pharmacists at PharmD Live® can help your patients with obesity by managing their weight loss medications–from dose escalations to side effect management. In their roles as care coordinators, our pharmacists create a care plan with your patient that includes personal health goals. One strategy is to set small yet achievable nutritional goals such as using the plate method for portion control and increasing vegetable portions. A similar strategy can be used for exercise, such as incorporating weight-bearing exercises and slowly increasing exercise tolerance. 

Our clinical pharmacist assesses compliance to the patient’s personal health goals which provides them with the accountability and motivation to achieve weight loss success. These small lifestyle modifications goals have the potential to have a big payoff over the long term. 

Appendix 1

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Appendix 2

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Back to Main Blog

About the author

Jisha Thomas, PharmD, graduated from University of Iowa college of pharmacy in 2005 and has offered patient specialty care in a variety of settings. She has experience in Oncology and Hepatology.  Dr. Thomas is committed to building positive relationships with patients and health care providers.

References

1. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
2. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity
3. Kompaniyets L, Goodman AB, Belay B, et al. Body mass index and risk for COVID-19–related hospitalization, intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death – United States, March-December 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2021;70(10):355-361.
4. https://www.novo-pi.com/wegovy.pdf
5. https://diabetes.medicinematters.com/semaglutide/obesity/quick-guide-step-trials/18854832
6. https://www.goodrx.com/wegovy/medicare-coverage
7. Davies M, Færch L, Jeppesen OK, Pakseresht A, Pedersen SD, Perreault L, Rosenstock J, Shimomura I, Viljoen A, Wadden TA, Lingvay I; STEP 2 Study Group. Semaglutide 2·4 mg once a week in adults with overweight or obesity, and type 2 diabetes (STEP 2): a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021 Mar 13;397(10278):971-984. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)00213-0. Epub 2021 Mar 2. PMID: 33667417.
8. Rubino D, Abrahamsson N, Davies M, et al. Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2021;325(14):1414–1425. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3224
9. Donna H. Ryan, Ildiko Lingvay, Helen M. Colhoun, John Deanfield, Scott S. Emerson, Steven E. Kahn, Robert F. Kushner, Steve Marso, Jorge Plutzky, Kirstine Brown-Frandsen, Marianne O.L. Gronning, G. Kees Hovingh, Anders Gaarsdal Holst, Henrik Ravn, A. Michael Lincoff,Semaglutide Effects on Cardiovascular Outcomes in People With Overweight or Obesity (SELECT) rationale and design,American Heart Journal,Volume 229,2020,Pages 61-69
10. Wilding JPH, Batterham RL, Calanna S, Davies M, Van Gaal LF, Lingvay I, McGowan BM, Rosenstock J, Tran MTD, Wadden TA, Wharton S, Yokote K, Zeuthen N, Kushner RF; STEP 1 Study Group. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity. N Engl J Med. 2021 Mar 18;384(11):989. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2032183. Epub 2021 Feb 10. PMID: 33567185.
11. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/type-2-diabetes/expert-answers/byetta/faq-20057955
12. US Prescriptions Hit New High in 2018, but Opioid Scripts Dip,  https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/912864

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Safely managing medications is crucial for senior health. Studies have shown that roughly 90% of older adults aged 65+ take one medicine, 40% take more than five, and 20% take more than ten. The older one gets, the odds of taking more medications increase and can lead to increased side effects and adverse drug interactions. As we age, our body also deteriorates, and this process can also change medication effectiveness. Changes in the body can lead to harmful complications if doses are not correctly adjusted.  We asked our board-certified pharmacy team to rank their top five recommendations on what seniors should understand when taking medications. Here’s what they said: 

1. Medication Non-Adherence: this is when patients do not take their medications as prescribed. The issue is common, especially among patients with chronic diseases. Some people may not realize the importance of taking medication as prescribed, even if they feel better after 1 or 2 doses. This is especially true with antibiotics. Many patients are unaware that prematurely stopping antibiotic treatment leads to the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. The most prominent reasons for not taking medications as prescribed might be forgetfulness, cost, or pill burden. Investing in a pillbox is helpful for those who take more than five medications and frequently forget doses. The pillbox can help organize medications for a specific time frame which can help avoid missing doses. If cost is an issue, ask your doctor if switching to a generic brand is an option. Also, suggest changing the daily supply from 30 to 90 days, reducing pharmacy visits for refills.

2. Incomplete Medication List: an updated medication list is essential for preventing any potential side effects. All medication prescriptions, OTCs, vitamins, and herbals should be counted on your list. Medication lists give you or your care provider an overview of all the medications you are currently taking and how they interact with each other. For instance,  certain OTC antihistamine medications are very sedating and should be taken with caution when taking other sedating prescription medications like narcotic pain medication or muscle relaxants. During visits to the doctor, patients should bring an updated medication list. Hence, their providers have an accurate accounting of the start and stop dates, the dosages, directions, and the purpose of the medication.  

3. Unaware of potential side effects/adverse reactions: sadly, older adults are seven times more likely to have unwanted side effects and 2-3 times more likely to experience adverse reactions. We highly recommend that older adults ask their healthcare provider to check for potential interactions and updates on any new medication. Also, if you consume alcohol, tell your doctor as certain medications lose their efficacy with alcohol while the effects of others are enhanced. As we get older, doses need to be adjusted based on how the body can metabolize the medication.  

4. Not storing medication properly: Properly storing medications is important to keep them safe and effective. Not storing medications properly can cause them not to work as well or can cause harm to the patient. The best storage for most medications is in a cool, dry place like a dresser drawer, storage box, closet shelf, or kitchen cabinet. Do not store medications in the bathroom, where exposure to temperature fluctuations caused by heat and humidity will alter the efficacy of the medication. Certain medications, like insulin, need to be in the fridge. Special storage labels such as “refrigerate only” will be on these types of medications. It is important to pay attention to all the labels the pharmacist attaches to the medication. 

5. Not knowing what the medication is for: patients need to be well informed about why they are taking medication to recognize its importance and motivate them to take it. This helps with compliance and overall improved health. This is an opportunity for the patients to ask questions of their pharmacists if they are unsure what the medication is. The pharmacist will thoroughly review the medication’s purpose, how to take it, and any special instructions. It’s important to know whether it needs to be taken with or without food. Studies have shown that when patients are armed with information about their medication, they become more invested in improving their health.  

In conclusion, seniors, in particular, should take special precautions when prescribed more than one medication. These helpful tips will enable you to have better control of your overall health. That is what we do at PharmD Live®.  We are a pharmacist-led company that provides personalized care to Medicare patients with chronic diseases. In addition to managing a patient’s disease state, our board-certified pharmacists offer a thorough evaluation of a patient’s medication regimen to identify therapy gaps, mitigate medication risks and optimize medication therapy.  We are a great resource to guide patients to understand the importance of their medications and keep them safe from adverse drug events. 

References: 

1. Medication Overload and Older Americans. Lown Institute. Retrieved from: https://lowninstitute.org/projects/medication-overload-how-the-drive-to-prescribe-is-harming-older-americans/
2. 4 Medication Safety Tips for Older Adults. US Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved from: https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/4-medication-safety-tips-older-adults
3. Salvi, Fabio. Marchetti, Annalisa etc. Adverse drug events as a cause of hospitalization in older adults. PubMed. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23446784/

The post Seniors and Their Meds: Top 5 Recommendations on Medication Safety appeared first on Pharmdlive.

PharmD Live®’s team of Pharmacist Care Managers (PCMs) leads this virtual care model to effectively  address these challenges head-on, providing cost-effective solutions that mitigate medication-related risks, enhance patient outcomes and optimize financial performance for providers.

Medication Discrepancies Drive Costs and Complications

Medication discrepancies occur frequently during transitions of care, such as hospital discharge, when patient medication regimens are often disrupted or changed. These errors can lead to ADEs, unnecessary re-hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visits. The statistics are staggering:

• More than 50% of hospitalized patients experience at least one medication discrepancy after discharge.
• Preventable ADEs account for approximately 4% of post-discharge rehospitalizations, costing an average of $472 per patient in direct healthcare expenses.
• A lack of timely and accurate medication reconciliation at discharge can result in 509 medication discrepancies per 10,000 patients in the first 30 days post-discharge, further straining resources.

Despite these risks, many healthcare providers struggle to implement effective medication reconciliation processes, leaving gaps that drive up costs and worsen patient outcomes.

Addressing Medication Discrepancies Through Reconciliation

Medication reconciliation is a systematic process in which healthcare providers verify, update, and ensure the appropriateness of a patient’s medication list during care transitions—such as hospital admissions, discharges, or transfers between healthcare settings. Pharmacist-led medication reconciliation at hospital discharge has been proven to reduce medication discrepancies and prevent ADEs.

Key benefits include:

• Cost Savings: Studies show that pharmacist-led medication reconciliation can reduce the cost of preventable ADEs by 52%, lowering overall costs to $266 per patient, a net benefit of $206 per patient after accounting for intervention expenses.
• Fewer Hospital Readmissions: Effective reconciliation reduces ADE-related rehospitalizations by half, from 421 to 199 per 10,000 patients, alleviating the financial penalties tied to hospital readmissions.
• Improved Patient Outcomes: By addressing medication discrepancies, reconciliation enhances patient safety, adherence and long-term health outcomes.

Implementing effective medication reconciliation requires the right blend of expertise, resources, and advanced technology—areas where PharmD Live® leads with innovation and proven solutions.

PharmD Live®’s Solutions: Transforming Medication Reconciliation into Savings

PharmD Live® integrates virtual clinical pharmacist-led care with predictive analytics to provide scalable, cost-effective medication reconciliation solutions. Here’s how:

1. Comprehensive Medication Management

PharmD Live®’s PCMs ensure that every patient’s medication list is accurate and complete during critical care transitions. Key features include:

• Medication Therapy Management (MTM): Identifying discrepancies, optimizing regimens and educating patients on proper medication use.
• Proactive Follow-Up: Ensuring adherence and addressing potential risks before complications arise.

2. Technology-Enabled Efficiency

PharmD Live® employs AI-driven predictive analytics and telehealth platforms to streamline medication reconciliation processes:

• Risk Identification: Targeting high-risk patients who are most likely to experience medication discrepancies and ADEs.
• Patient Portals: Providing accessible resources, health records and real-time communication to foster engagement and adherence.

3. Cost-Effective Care Delivery

PharmD Live® combines clinical pharmacist expertise with technology to maximize value:

• Efficient Workflows: Leveraging pharmacy technicians for routine tasks under pharmacist supervision, reducing intervention costs.
• Value-Based Care Optimization: Lowering readmission rates and enhancing performance in CMS quality measures such as MIPS, ACO and Medicare Part D Star Ratings.

Realizing the Value of Medication Reconciliation

Medication reconciliation is no longer optional for providers navigating value-based care models—it is a strategic necessity. By addressing medication discrepancies and preventing ADEs, providers can significantly reduce costs, improve patient outcomes and boost financial performance.

PharmD Live® empowers providers to achieve these goals with its clinical pharmacist-led telehealth solutions. By combining expert care, predictive technology and proven processes, PharmD Live® ensures that medication reconciliation becomes a seamless part of care delivery—driving better outcomes for patients and cost savings for healthcare systems.

Contact us today to learn how our solutions can reduce costs, improve outcomes and help your practice thrive under value-based care models.

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