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In this episode, we spoke with Dr. Jessica Tilton, the clinical coordinator for the University of Illinois Health Medication Therapy Management Clinic and a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy. Jessica discusses the research she and her colleagues have conducted that demonstrates how the clinic is measurably improving patient health outcomes. Prior to the interview, we provide news updates on additional drug manufacturers refusing to provide 340B discounts and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services reviewing comment letters regarding its proposals to make deep Medicare Part B cuts in 2021. 

Improving Medication Adherence: The majority of the MTM clinic’s patients are on more than 10 medications and struggle with medication adherence.  Jessica and her colleagues spend 60 minutes the first time a patient comes to the clinic evaluating the medications the patient has at home and comparing this to the medications the patient has been prescribed and indicates they are taking. Following the appointment, patients can pick up their medications all at once since the clinic is embedded within the pharmacy.

Disease State Management: Once a patient’s medication adherence challenges are addressed, the clinic’s pharmacists are working with patients on disease state management, primarily for diabetes, hypertension, and asthma. For instance, a patient with blood pressure of 200/150 can be managed weekly in the clinic until their blood pressure is under control, rather than through the emergency department. 

340B Savings Create a Robust Clinic: Jessica says that 340B savings enable the Medication Therapy Management clinic to care for many more patients than it otherwise could without this financial support. 

Conducting 340B Research: The Medication Therapy Management clinic partnered with the Department of Health Systems, Outcomes, and Policies to conduct its own 340B research to measure how much patients’ health outcomes were improving. The research focused on patients with diabetes and hypertension. The research found that the MTM clinic reduces A1C hemoglobin levels by an average of 0.63% and systolic blood pressure by 8.2 ml. Using modeling, the research also found the decrease in blood pressure reduced cardiovascular events by 10 and increased life years for the cohort of 200 patients by 4.5 life years. Costs to insurers were reduced by $500,000. 

Check out all of our episodes on the 340B Insight podcast website. You also can stay updated on all 340B Health news and information by visiting our homepage. If you have any questions you’d like us to cover in this podcast, email us at [email protected].

Episode Resources:

1. 340B Health Statement Regarding AstraZeneca and Sanofi Refusing to Provide 340B Discounts for Drugs Dispensed at Community Pharmacies 
2. 340B Health Comment Letter to CMS Regarding Proposed Medicare Part B Cuts to 340B Hospitals for 2021
3. Webinar: State Policies Impacting 340B Year-In-Review 
4. University of Illinois Health Medication Management Clinic
5. 340B Health Research 

340B Health Celebrates American Pharmacists Month