Medication adherence

Medication adherence improves overall member health and reduces hospitalizations. According to the World Health Organization, “Increasing the effectiveness of adherence interventions may have a far greater impact on the health of the population than any improvement in specific medical treatments.”¹

 

Did you know?

• Most medication-related ER visits and hospitalizations in the U.S. (up to 70%) are caused by

nonadherence to medication.²

• Studies show that 50 to 60% of patients are not taking their prescribed medications correctly or at all.³

• Improved adherence can drive positive health and economic outcomes.
  • Patients’ adherence to statin medications at 12 months had improved LDL, reduced hospitalizations, and lower healthcare costs.⁴

Best practices for improving adherence

Support the implementation of medication nonadherence prevention strategies at each step of the medication use process:

• Prescribe maintenance medications for diabetes, cholesterol, and hypertension from the Empire BlueCross BlueShield (Empire) Medicare Advantage $0 copay list.

• Encourage IngenioRx* Home Delivery to improve medication adherence, prevent refill gaps, avoid long waits at the pharmacy, and to reduce costs.
  • IngenioRx Home Delivery members have 2 to 3% higher adherence rates
  • E-prescribe, fax 800-378-0323, or phone-in prescriptions 833-203-1742
• Enrolled nonadherent patients may benefit from a multi-dose packaging of medications. CVS pharmacy^® SimpleDose™ and PillPack are preferred pharmacies that offer multi-dose packaging with free home delivery. To enroll, go to:

• CVS.com/multidose or call 800-753-0596. Members may also enroll at their local CVS pharmacy. Members residing in the District of Columbia, Georgia, or South Carolina should call 844-650-1637.
• Pillpack.com/blue or call 866-282-9462.

• Offer members the opportunity to use ZipDrug, which offers free access to high performing pharmacies that provide customized medication services, hand-delivered prescriptions, and increase medication adherence rates. Go to com/zipdrug or call 844-947-3748.

• Patients who take medications for diabetes, cholesterol, and hypertension and enrolled in ZipDrug had a 4 to 10% increase in medication adherence rates.

• Encourage digital solutions: Sydney app can help Empire members manage their medications through:
  • Enrollment in ZipDrug
  • Home delivery set-up
  • Manage auto-refill and renew
  • Text message reminders on prescriptions

Want more information regarding all the recommended best practices?

Best practices for medication adherence are reviewed in this brief video.

 

Resources:

¹ World Health Organization. Adherence to long-term therapies: evidence for action. Geneva:

   World Health Organization; 2003. http://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/pdf/s4883e/s4883e.pdf.

   Accessed Dec.22, 2021.

² Cutler, Rachelle Louise et al. “Economic impact of medication non-adherence by disease groups: systematic

   review.” BMJ open vol. 8,1 e016982. 21 Jan. 2018, doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016982

³ Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy 2020 26:12, 1529-1537

⁴ JAMA.2018;320(23):2461-2473. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30561486/

 

* IngenioRx, Inc. is an independent company providing pharmacy benefit management services on behalf of Empire BlueCross BlueShield.

 

EBSCRNU-0065-22 January 2022