What is Medication Therapy Management? Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a covered benefit for many Medicare patients, some commercially insured patients, and is available for others on a cash paying basis.
MTM is an ongoing process to ensure that medications are prescribed safely, used correctly, and sometimes de-prescribed or discontinued. MTM is a patient-centered health-care service focused on helping people get the most benefit from their medication therapy. Patients with multiple medications and chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, asthma, COPD and congested heart failure will benefit greatly from MTM.
Medication Therapy
“The use of medications to treat or prevent diseases”. And it’s not just prescription medications that are important. Nonprescription medications, vitamins, and dietary supplements each can play a part in treating and preventing disease. An individual who takes medications in any of these four categories is using Medication Therapy.
The goal of MTM:
The goal of Medication therapy management is to identify, prevent and resolve medication related problems to improve patient outcomes and decrease the total cost of care for our patients.
Services provided:
Medication Counseling
• Sharing drug product information
• Generally, occurs when dispensing medications at point of sale
Disease Management
• Management of diseases using standard guidelines
• Often team-based or can be part of a pharmacist–physician protocol
Medication Therapy Management (MTM)
• Optimization of medication use
• May be a comprehensive review of entire medication regimen or focused on one specific aspect
• Appointment-based service
The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) put out an official framework for the components of an MTM Service Model. There are 5 core elements that make up an MTM service model in pharmacy practice.
The Pharmacist’s Role
Monitor individual medications:
o Drug efficacy
o Adverse events and drug interactions
o Cost
Monitor patient:
o Understanding of regimen
o Adherence
o Self-management of condition
Streamline medication therapies:
o Identify duplicate therapies
o Simplify drug and dosing regimens
Benefits to the Patient:
Medication therapy. MTM empowers people to take charge of their own medication use by helping them understand:
• How prescription medicines work
• How and when medicines should be taken
• How incorrect use of medications can result in poorer health
• How age changes the way medicines work, or the risk of side effects
• How vitamins and supplements may add or detract from the effects of medications
• What side effects or problems to watch for.
Medication Therapy Management can improve outcomes and lower the total cost of care for our patients. Clinical Pharmacists in Clinics and in Hospitals provide some of the same services, they provide Pharmacotherapy to patients nd as part of the healthcare team help improve patient outcomes and prevent medication problems.
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