Pharmacist-Led Interventions Improve Medication Adherence

#pharmacist #medicationadherence #chroniccaremanagement #valuebasedcare #chronicconditions #chronicdiseasemanagement #Medicare #populationhealth

The Challenge of Medication Adherence

Chronic conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes affect millions of older adults across the United States. Despite effective treatments being widely available, medication adherence for these conditions often falls below 80%, leading to serious consequences — from hospital readmissions and disease complications to increased healthcare costs and even premature death.

As the healthcare industry continues to evolve toward value-based care, there is growing recognition that pharmacists can play a vital role in improving patient outcomes by practicing at the full scope of their licensure.

The Study: Measuring Pharmacist Impact

A recent study evaluated a large national pharmacy chain’s pharmacist-led intervention program designed to help older adults manage their chronic conditions more effectively. The program focused on Medicare beneficiaries with at least two prescription fills for diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol medications between 2020 and 2022.

Researchers used a difference-in-differences (DID) model to compare outcomes between patients who received pharmacist interventions and those who did not. The primary goal was to assess changes in optimal adherence, defined as taking medication at least 80% of the time.

Key Findings

The results were both statistically and clinically significant:

• Participants: 317,613 intervention patients (average age 70.1) were compared to 943,389 controls (average age 73.3).

• Baseline adherence was initially lower in the intervention group across all conditions.

• After two years, adherence improved substantially among those receiving pharmacist-led care:

  • Diabetes: +4.0% improvement

  • Hypertension: +6.3% improvement

  • Cholesterol: +6.1% improvement

• Meanwhile, adherence in the control group declined during the same period.

All results were highly significant (P < 0.0001).

The Financial Impact

Improved adherence doesn’t just save lives — it saves money. The study projected impressive annual healthcare cost savings tied to better medication adherence:

• Diabetes: $10.3 million total savings ($109 per person)

• Hypertension: $31.6 million total savings ($122 per person)

• High Cholesterol: $21.6 million total savings ($75 per person)

These findings demonstrate that pharmacist-led consultations are not only clinically effective but also economically valuable for health systems and payers.

What This Means for Healthcare

Pharmacists are among the most accessible healthcare professionals, often engaging with patients more frequently than their primary care providers. Their expertise in medication management positions them uniquely to identify barriers, educate patients, and close critical gaps in care.

By empowering pharmacists to provide direct clinical care, health organizations can strengthen patient outcomes, improve adherence, and reduce overall healthcare costs — all key goals of value-based care.

Plain Language Summary

Older adults often face challenges managing medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, or diabetes. This study found that when pharmacists work closely with patients, adherence improves significantly — leading to better health and lower costs for everyone involved.

The Future of Pharmacist-Led Care

This study adds to a growing body of evidence supporting pharmacists as integral members of the care team. Leading healthcare organizations and industry partners are calling for expanded models that compensate pharmacists for delivering clinical services.

As value-based care continues to grow, leveraging pharmacists as clinical care partners can enhance continuity of care, strengthen patient relationships, and ensure that patients receive comprehensive, coordinated support across all aspects of their health.

At ChronicCare, we believe that pharmacist-led interventions are key to improving medication adherence and quality of life for patients with chronic conditions. Our pharmacist care model integrates medication therapy management, patient education, and lifestyle support to help healthcare organizations deliver measurable outcomes and sustainable value.

Interested in partnering with ChronicCare to improve medication adherence and outcomes for your patients?