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Practice Transformation

Getting the medication information right
Do you have the information you need to get the medications right? Pharmaceutical companies’ medical information professionals can be a valuable resource. The non-profit phactMI represents MI professionals across the pharmaceutical industry; it works to make it easier for health care professionals—especially pharmacists–to access unbiased, evidence-based information. To that end, phactMI created the Drug Information Database, a “one stop shop” that enables users to search across manufacturers to access information more quickly and conveniently. (GTMRx)
Pharmacists want the option to keep delivering CMM virtually
The pandemic accelerated the need to deliver comprehensive medication management remotely, and many pharmacists would like to keep doing so, according to survey results published in the Journal of Pharmacy Practices. Nearly 90% of pharmacists integrated into a clinical setting said CMM via telehealth allowed them to reach patients they would not otherwise have been able to see during the pandemic. Pharmacists want to have that option going forward, but “investments in telecommunications resources, training support, technical assistance and continued telehealth reimbursement from health plans are needed to sustain this service delivery model,” the authors conclude (Journal of Pharmacy Practices)
Dr. Susan M. Huang joins GTMRx board
Susan M. Huang, MD, MS, recently joined the GTMRx Board of Directors. As chief medical officer of America’s Physician Groups, she is the lead contact with member organizations on clinical matters related to value-based care. “Helping patients get the right medications at the right dose, right time, and for the right reasons is a critical component of clinical accountability and opportunity in value-based care,” she says. “And with the myriad of responsibilities and increasingly unmanageable burdens that primary care physicians face today, we need the support of and expertise on our care teams to help us get the medications right.” (GTMRx)

Evidence & Innovation

Doctors, PBMs pose barriers to biosimilar use
Some stakeholders still aren’t on board with biosimilars, FierceHealthcare reports. For example, PBMs are increasingly blocking and delaying coverage of new generics and biosimilars in favor of higher-priced brand drugs with high rebates. Doctors are also a barrier: One survey found that 77% do not support the ability of pharmacists to freely switch patients from reference products to biosimilars. That same survey found that only 19% of doctors say that financial savings to patients was a consideration in deciding whether to prescribe biosimilars. (FiercePharma)

Policy Solutions

PBMs face yet another investigation
The House Oversight and Accountability Committee is the latest entity to investigate pharmacy benefit managers. It will focus on “anti-competitive tactics” that increase healthcare spending and disadvantage patients. The FTC is conducting its own investigation, and in the Senate, two pieces of bipartisan legislation would rein in PBMs. At the state level, PBMs have faced numerous legal actions. Dr. David Dobrzykowski of the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business tells Modern Healthcare that the House investigation could prompt greater transparency. “When organizations face the choice between self-regulation and external regulation, self-regulation tends to be preferable.” (Modern Healthcare)
Pham: Lawmakers need to understand that CMM supports equity
The American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s Kathy Pham, PharmD, BCPPS, discussed an array of issues, including advocacy and equity, in the Pharmacy Times podcast Public Health Matters. “When we actually take away the limitations and barriers to being able to expand clinical pharmacists in different areas, it will drive health equity.” CMM isn’t just for private practices, she explains: It’s “provided in all sorts of settings, and sometimes in the most underserved populations. So, I love that I’m able to try to pass that message along to lawmakers, that this could be equitable but… barriers in the policy are getting in the way.” (Pharmacy Times)
In Case You Missed It!
Learn about the peer-reviewed evidence showcasing the value of CMM, through improvements in access to care, provider work life, outcomes and patient satisfaction as well as a reduction in costs. These findings outline the CMM team-based care process that can be implemented in a variety of health care systems to ensure positive patient outcomes.
Developed by the Evidence-Based Resources Subgroup of the Practice and Care Delivery Transformation Workgroup.

NEW 2022 GTMRx Resource | Comprehensive Medication Management via Telehealth Modality in Team-Based Care:A Review of the Evidence on Quality, Access and Costs, December 2022

Learn about the peer-reviewed evidence showcasing the value of CMM delivered as a service via telehealth and its challenges. Telehealth is a promising modality to improve access to care, facilitate patient monitoring and maintain the needed connection with patients that improves their care and health.
Developed by the Evidence-Based Resources Subgroup of the Practice and Care Delivery Transformation Workgroup.
Join us to be part of meaningful change
Irma, like many others, struggles as a result of our current trial-and-error approach to medication. That is why we advocate for a new, comprehensive approach to medication use and prescribing. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organization, the GTMRx Institute and Foundation relies on funding from our supporting members. We ask that you consider becoming a Supporting Signing Member so we can continue to provide relevant, timely resources to get the medications right!
If you’re interested in supporting the Institute or Foundation at a higher level, please contact us. Your dollars will bring about meaningful change for people like Irma.

Become a Supporting Member Today

AmazonSmile is an easy way for 0.5% of your qualified purchases go to the GTMRx Foundation at no cost to you. And signing up is simple—go to smile.amazon.com and select “Get the Medications Right Foundation” as your charity of choice. If you prefer to directly donate instead, you can do so here.
Adding the foundation on AmazonSmile will help us continue to provide no cost educational webinars, issue briefs, weekly news briefs and promote the need for transformation of our current system of medication use through social media campaigns.
  See past issues of our news brief here

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