Studies show face-to-face contact with a pharmacist and a comprehensive set of services — like medication therapy management and adherence packaging — have a greater impact on patient outcomes than medication synchronization alone.
That’s why we consider an in-person MTM session or CMR to be an essential first step of enrolling a new patient into your adherence program. This is your chance to sit down with the patient to review and capture everything he’s taking, from all doctors and pharmacies.
We spoke with pharmacy owner Lindsay Dymowski to learn why she does these first meetings in patients’ homes.
Pharmacy Home Visits Let You See the Bigger Picture
Home evaluations are a key component of Centennial Pharmacy Services’ retail adherence program. A pharmacy team member actually goes into the patient’s home to do the initial MTM session and get the patient started in the program.
“Whenever you go into a patient’s home, you’re appalled on how they’re actually handling their medicine,” says Lindsay. “You think they’re taking it as they’re supposed to, that it’s nice and organized. You walk in and it’s a war zone.”
This gives Lindsay and her team the opportunity to have an honest conversation with the patient about how they’re taking their medications and to gauge the patient’s understanding of their own medication regimen.
Use These Insights to Optimize the Medication Regimen
In addition to looking for potential interactions, high-risk drugs, and duplicate therapies, Centennial Pharmacy is listening for insights into the patient’s behavior and potential barriers to adherence.
“You realize they really don’t understand how to take their medications, and even why they’re taking it,” Lindsay highlights.
The pharmacy learns how the patient says they’re currently taking their medications and compares this to how the doctor says they’re supposed to be taking it.
“From there, we can kind of create a true medication regimen based on what the patient likes to do and what the doctor wants them to do,” says Lindsay.
By developing this understanding, Lindsay and her team are laying the groundwork for ongoing relationships with patients and more meaningful conversations with prescribers.
Want To Hear More From Lindsay?
This is the second of six posts in our From the Pharmacy series.
About Lindsay
Lindsay is president and co-founder of Centennial Pharmacy Services in the Philadelphia area. Lindsay reinvented her family’s corner pharmacy as a full pharmaceutical care provider with an adherence-focused business model. This model has captured the attention and business of universities, hospital systems, and insurance companies. As a result of Centennial Pharmacy Services’ multifaceted adherence program, partners report better patient outcomes and decreased health care costs.
About Heather
Heather provides strategic guidance, coaching, and support to customers who use Parata PASS adherence packaging. With 22 years of experience working as a nurse in settings across the health care industry, Heather speaks the language of patients, prescribers, and payers. She helps pharmacies communicate the value of their medication adherence programs to patients and partners to maximize their success.