DUBLIN, Ohio, March 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- When a new
solution benefits everyone in the healthcare system, yet still is
not being widely adopted; it's appropriate to start asking why.
Such is the case with Medication Therapy Management (MTM) – which
has been established as mutually beneficial for payers, patients
and pharmacies – yet has experienced a slower-than-expected
adoption rate.
In a new blog post on Cardinal Health's thought leadership site,
Essential Insights, Brad Tice, RPh, PharmD, FAPhA, Medication
Therapy Management product leader at Cardinal Health, says that a
main reason underlying the relatively slow adoption of MTM is that
it can be difficult to measure and understand the total return on
investment that these services deliver. He also shares his
perspective on what's needed to understand the full value and
benefits of MTM.
"I believe that one explanation for slow MTM adoption is that
the complexity of the healthcare system can obscure MTM's proven
value," says Tice. "Timing issues, cost allocations and financial
incentives are a few obstacles that impact how MTM programs are
measured. Failing to measure the full impact of MTM programs is
difficult to do, yet doing so is a fatal analytical error."
Tice explains that health plans that focus on MTM's return on
investment will gain an essential competitive advantage in the
marketplace. He contends that although MTM services can generate
immediate costs savings and health benefits for patients,
these services can generate an even greater return in the
latter years, as patients remain healthy. Furthermore, most MTM
savings appear outside the pharmacy benefit; via fewer hospital
readmissions, drops in emergency room visits, improvements in how
physicians are utilized, etc. – all cost savings that can be
difficult to fully measure.
To learn more about Tice's insight on how to measure and
maximize the total return on investment in MTM services, read his
full blog post at Essential Insights.
About Cardinal Health
Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio,
Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is a $91
billion health care services company that improves the
cost-effectiveness of health care. As the business behind health
care, Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals, ambulatory
surgery centers and physician offices focus on patient care while
reducing costs, enhancing efficiency and improving quality.
Cardinal Health is an essential link in the health care supply
chain, providing pharmaceuticals, medical products and services to
more than 100,000 locations each day and is also the
industry-leading direct-to-home medical supplies distributor. The
company is a leading manufacturer of medical and surgical products,
including gloves, surgical apparel and fluid management products.
In addition, the company operates the nation's largest network of
radiopharmacies, which dispense products to aid in the early
diagnosis and treatment of disease. Ranked #22 on the Fortune 500,
Cardinal Health employs more than 34,000 people worldwide. More
information about the company may be found at cardinalhealth.com
and @CardinalHealth on Twitter.
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SOURCE Cardinal Health