How to Improve Medication Management

You've identified the patients with poor adherence to their medications...now what? --- If you want to improve medication adherence in your population, the foundational program (that also provides efficiencies for the #pharmacy) is medication synchronization as part of an appointment-based model (ABM). The ABM has been studied from several angles that illustrate some striking results: The effect can be an increase of 20% or more in proportion of days covered (PDC), increasing the likelihood of a patient being adherent 3.4 - 6.1 times compared to those not in an ABM program. --- The loose ABM process (also see image from APhA attached): -Identifying and enrolling patients -Med review and assessment -Proactive alignment of refills using short/long fills as necessary -Preparation of meds -A set appointment time to discuss vaccinations or other clinical services when the patient gets their meds These all significantly improve #adherence for chronic conditions like those in the #StarRatings and #HEDIS measures. The ABM does all of these on a monthly rolling basis. The key is setting up the proactive outreach and having intentional discussions with patients, not just choosing a date to "autofill" their meds. --- Starting with the ABM as a foundation is a good approach. To this foundation, additional programs such as 30-to-90-day conversions, adherence barrier assessments, and concierge fills can be layered on. These strategies not only maintain medication adherence among members for better health outcomes, but also enhance quality measures for value-based organizations for a low financial and operational investment.

Medication adherence is rarely about laziness or forgetfulness. Patients struggle because they don’t fully understand why they need it, how to take it correctly, or how to manage multiple prescriptions. Here are five overlooked barriers—and how we can do better: 1️⃣ Confusing Instructions Vague directions like "take with food" or "as needed" leave room for misinterpretation. ✔ Solution: Use plain language, visuals, and reinforcement messaging. 2️⃣ Refill Delays & Hassle Prior authorizations, stock shortages, and unclear refill timelines cause frustration. ✔ Solution: Automate refill reminders and provide real-time status updates. 3️⃣ Fear of Side Effects Mild but expected side effects often cause patients to stop taking meds early. ✔ Solution: Proactively educate them on what to expect and when to seek help. 4️⃣ Too Many Medications Managing multiple prescriptions is overwhelming, leading to missed doses. ✔ Solution: Offer synchronization programs, easy refill schedules, and pill organizers. 5️⃣ Lack of Understanding If patients don’t feel immediate benefits, they may think the medication isn’t necessary. ✔ Solution: Shift messaging from "take this because your doctor said so" to "here’s how this improves your health and quality of life." Medication adherence is about experience, not just cost. We need to make it simpler, clearer, and more personalized. What else can we do from a marketing/communications/experience standpoint to improve these barriers?

💊 Pharmacist-led interventions are no longer just a “nice to have” — they’re a clinical and financial imperative. Here’s the truth: Pharmacists are already improving outcomes in adherence, chronic care, and medication optimization. The challenge? Proving it on paper — and getting paid for it. Well, I've built a system around that challenge. ✅ Use MMAS to identify adherence risk ✅ Engage with patients through ZOË (the popular AI assistant) ✅ Monitor outcomes and generate reports through ATLAS ✅ Align with CPA rules and CMS-recognized billing codes Whether it’s #StarRatings, #MIPS, or #chroniccaremanagement, the @adherence. solution helps transform adherence to a regimen from a checkbox into a billable, measurable, and reimbursable clinical service. And yes, there are templates, documentation, and workflow support to back it all up. 📁 Let’s stop asking if pharmacists can do this. Let’s show what happens when we let them.