INNOVATIONS in pharmacy

Patient-perceived value of Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services: a series of focus groups

Heidi Schultz

Sarah M. Westberg

Djenane Ramalho de Oliveira

Amanda Brummel

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/iip.v3i4.278

Keywords: Medication Therapy Management, MTM, barriers, value, patient-perceived

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Abstract

Objective: To determine the patient-perceived value of MTM services and non-financial barriers preventing patients with insurance coverage from receiving MTM services.

Design: Focus groups.

Setting: Fairview Pharmacy Services, Minneapolis, MN.

Participants: Three focus groups, each with five to nine participants, consisting of different participant populations: (i) patients who paid out-of-pocket to receive MTM services; (ii) insurance beneficiaries, under which MTM is a covered benefit and participants may have received incentives for receiving MTM services; (iii) patients with an insurance plan which covers MTM services who were recruited to receive MTM services but declined. Intervention: MTM services.

Main Outcome Measure: Patient-perceived value of MTM services and non-financial barriers.

Results: Seven themes were identified relating to the patient-perceived value of MTM services: collaboration of the health care team, MTM pharmacist as a supporter/advocate/confidant, MTM pharmacist as a resource for questions and education, accessibility to the MTM pharmacist, financial incentives for participation in MTM services, MTM pharmacy as a specialty field, and the MTM pharmacist as a coordinator. Three themes were identified regarding patient-perceived non-financial barriers to receiving MTM services, including: availability of the MTM pharmacist, patient/physician lack of knowledge of MTM services, patient's belief that MTM services are not needed.

Conclusion: MTM is a service which patients identify as valuable. Patients are able to identify non-financial barriers that may prevent some patients from receiving MTM services. This study provides preliminary evidence of both the value and barriers perceived by patients.

 

Type: Original Research