Changing the Face of Healthcare: Community Pharmacists Nationwide Embrace MTM Patient Care Opportunity
Medicare Part D Patients across U.S. receive Medication Therapy Management services
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (January 22, 2007) –The Community MTM Services, Inc. (CMTM) pharmacist network delivered targeted patient care services to more than 44,000 patients during the last six months of 2006. Pharmacists across the United States continue to embrace the opportunity of expanding their business models to include targeted patient care services, delivering Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services to thousands of qualified Community Care Rxsm *(CCRx) Medicare patients.
“We believe MTM services are best delivered by community pharmacists,” said Charles Hallberg, chief executive officer of MemberHealth, plan sponsor for CCRx, the nation’s fourth largest Part D plan. “We are thrilled with the results for our members—medication cost savings, better self-care and disease management, and safer use of medications—all from private consultations with their pharmacists. Our MTM reach with members in 2006 was phenomenal for a new program, and we look forward to even better results in 2007.”
CCRx is one of the first Part D plans offering face-to-face MTM services by community pharmacists to fulfill its CMS-mandated MTM obligation. During an MTM visit, pharmacists review patients’ medications (including prescription and over-the-counter drugs), counsel patients on proper medication use, pinpoint potential medication interactions and safety issues, identify cost-saving opportunities, provide disease-related patient education and coordinate with physicians regarding any recommended changes to the patient’s medication regimen.
“The delivery of MTM face-to-face has enabled our pharmacists to help improve the health of their patients and enhance customer loyalty,” said Tony Civello, president and chief executive officer of Kerr Drug, Inc. “Our stores are embracing the CMTM platform because it gives our pharmacists an organized, efficient method for incorporating patient care services into their daily routines. It’s easy to learn and use, and delivers targeted patient intervention cases to the pharmacist. We look forward to expanding our services to even more patients in 2007 and beyond.” Mr. Civello is the recipient of Chain Drug Review’s 2006 Retailer of the Year Award.
“In the last six months of 2006, community pharmacy made a significant contribution toward advancing consumer health by stepping up to the plate and delivering MTM and related patient care services,” said Kurt Proctor, R.Ph., Ph.D., CMTM chief operating officer. “We foresee a major role for the CMTM service in helping pharmacists provide targeted, proactive, quality care to patients from coast to coast.”
Participating pharmacists used CMTM’s secure, Web-based solution to schedule, manage, chart, and bill for MTM and other patient care services. The CMTM service identifies qualified patients and routes them for intervention to the patient’s own pharmacy, along with targeted patient education materials to facilitate informed, high quality and evidence-based care.
*Operating as Community Pharmacists Care Rx in Oklahoma
About Community MTM Services, Inc.
Community MTM Services, Inc. (CMTM) delivers innovative patient care solutions. Our Software-as-a-Service platform streamlines the delivery of highly targeted medication management programs and speeds patient recruitment campaigns. The broad-based CMTM pharmacy network serves as centerpiece of our nationwide, multi-channel program delivery capability. Working with CMTM, program sponsors can harness the high trust pharmacist-patient relationship to achieve superior business and clinical results.
