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Practice innovations: delivering medication therapy management services via Videoconference interviews.

OBJECTIVE
To describe medication therapy management (MTM) services via videoconferencing.


DESIGN
A descriptive, cross-sectional analysis of an ongoing prospective, randomized-controlled study.


SETTING
A secured seven-pharmacy network connected by computers, webcams, telephones, and electronic medical records.


PARTICIPANTS
Patients 18 years of age or older; taking four or more chronic medications; and with diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, multiple sclerosis, and/or Parkinson's disease.


INTERVENTIONS
Chart reviews and videoconferencing interviews to identify medication-related problems (MRP) and provide patient education and recommendations to providers.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Patient demographics, identified MRPs, interventions, and patient satisfaction.


RESULTS
During April to July 2010, 43 patients were interviewed (mean age 50.8 ± 11.5 years); of these, 12 patients (27.9%) were older adults, mean age 69.5 ± 5.0 years. Prevalent health conditions were hypertension (31/43, 72%), hyperlipidemia (28/43, 65%), and diabetes (19/43, 44%). A mean number of 3.5 ± 2.3 MRP/patient was identified. Compared with charted numbers, patients significantly under-reported their health conditions (selfreported mean number 4.0 ± 1.6, compared with 6.9 ± 3.3, P < 0.0001) and medications used (self-reported mean number 7.7 ± 3.4, charted number 9.4 ± 2.3, P < 0.005). Providers accepted a mean number of 2.2 ± 1.6 (out of 2.8 ± 1.3) pharmacist-provided recommendations (acceptance rate 78.6%). All patients interviewed agreed or strongly agreed that the MTM interview with pharmacist and the information provided were helpful.


CONCLUSION
Webcam-enabled videoconferencing allows effective interactions between pharmacists and patients to identify MRP and improve access to MTM services. Provider acceptance of pharmacist-provided recommendations and patient satisfaction with videoconferencing MTM services are high.