Medication Therapy Management

Introduction

  • Medication therapy management (MTM)

    • A patient-focused, multistep process in which a pharmacist meets with a patient and/or consults their primary healthcare provider to offer recommendations concerning the patient’s medication therapy for better results

    • Also called medication management services

  • Potential types of recommendations

    • Using less expensive medications

    • Identifying potential medication interactions or adverse reactions

    • Counseling on the best use of medications and durable medical equipment

    • Counseling on complying with the medication regimen

    • Providing information regarding disease-state management

  • Recognition of MTM

    • Pharmacy benefit managers

    • Insurance companies

    • Federal law

    • Professional organizations

  • Goals of MTM identified by the Medicare Modernization Act

    • To provide patient education and increase patients’ understanding of their medications

    • To improve medication compliance and adherence

    • To detect adverse reactions and the misuse of medications

  • Requirements of MTM

    • Professional judgment

    • Special knowledge

    • Pharmacist’s education, training and licensure

    • Significant communication and documentation

  • Roles of the entry-level pharmacy technician

    • Scheduling

    • Coordinating patients

  • Roles of the experienced pharmacy technician

    • Scheduling

    • Coordinating patients

    • Collecting data

    • Conducting research

    • Constructing charts

    • Identifying health histories

    • Recording documentation

    • Managing billing

  • Common data points used in MTM

    • Patient name

    • Medical history

    • Patient address

    • Current medication regimen

    • Date of birth

    • Adherence information

    • Gender

    • Additional patient information

    • Medical ID/Record Number

    • Primary care provider

    • Height

    • Lab tests and values

    • Weight

    • Follow-up information

    • Telephone contact

Summary

  • MTM is a process during which a pharmacist meets with a patient and/or consults their primary healthcare provider to offer recommendations concerning the patient’s medication therapy for better results

  • Depending on experience, roles of the pharmacy technicians include scheduling, coordinating patients, collecting data, conducting research, constructing charts, identifying health histories, recording documentation, and managing billing

  • Various data points are collected during interviews to help the pharmacist in making appropriate recommendations