Many individuals consistently struggle with managing their prescriptions. A helpful therapeutic service is MTM or medication treatment management. Medication therapy management, or MTM, is an effective way to help patients manage their medications and health conditions. But it is not without its challenges. Patients with transportation challenges, who had MTM visits scheduled separately from other clinic appointments, and whose providers were unfamiliar with the pharmacist providing their MTM services were less likely to participate. MTM has been found in studies to pinpoint problems and enhance therapy results. However, several issues have been found to affect MTM delivery.
Cost
The cost of prescription drugs continues to be a significant challenge for patients. One in five patients do not fill their medication due to cost, which can lead to complications such as non-adherence. High drug prices can lead to higher-than-expected utilization and hospital costs, particularly for drugs needed in intensive care units or for long-term conditions. While information about medication costs is easily available, most patients still need to seek it out. A recent study showed that only 19 percent of seniors and 30 percent of low-income patients sought price information before picking up their medications. Despite more than 80 percent of hospitals saying they have experienced drug shortages, it leads to a moderate to large increase in drug unit prices.
The difficulties of pharmaceutical therapy management can be handled in various ways by healthcare institutions. For example, implementing technology-enabled comprehensive medication management (CMM) can reduce errors and help improve patient outcomes. By using medication therapy management services with CMM capabilities, healthcare organizations can create a seamless continuum of care for their patients and help lower healthcare costs.
Lack of Knowledge
Medication therapy management (MTM) helps patients understand why they need to take their medications and how to do so. It is a good way to help them become more active in their care and improve outcomes. However, it can also be difficult for patients to fully understand their medicines — including their work, possible side effects, and the importance of taking them as prescribed. This activity is very important for those with mental diseases, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, sadness, or anxiety. Insight is a key part of the recovery process, and it helps ensure that patients follow their healthcare plan and get the most out of their treatments.
Choosing the most suitable treatment approach often becomes challenging in psychiatric cases due to a lack of understanding, requiring thoughtful consideration and strategic planning. However, there have been some advancements to overcome this barrier, such as person-centered integrated care and innovative medication techniques that can mitigate the need for insight. But there is still a long way to go.
Lack of Assistance
Pharmaceutical non-adherence, which happens when patients don’t take their medications as prescribed, is a continual source of frustration for clinicians. It can have negative health effects and costs the US economy nearly $500 billion annually. Pharmacy technicians evaluate patients’ current drug lists as part of a pharmaceutical treatment management procedure, or MTM. It might involve decreasing or eliminating excessive or ineffective medications and recognizing adverse occurrences or drug-drug interactions. Nevertheless, despite MTM’s numerous advantages, its implementation might be challenging. One such issue is the absence of leadership support, which might hinder the launch of an MTM program. Additionally, other obstacles, such as medicine shortages, may raise the cost of some medications. Many hospitals are hesitant to provide MTM services as a result.
Limited time
A pharmaceutical treatment management service seeks to optimize medication use and lessen drug-related issues. Many medical specialists can deliver it, but pharmacists are frequently motivated to lead these services due to their doctorate-level training and scope of practice. These attempts, unfortunately, don’t always work. For instance, a recent piece in the Baltimore Sun showed how expensive drugs might make people decide not to complete their prescriptions. Serious side effects, including a heart attack, may develop from this, for which the patient would require further medical attention. MTM also has the drawback of frequently concentrating just on drugs. While this strategy has a place, it is crucial to consider additional elements that may impact a patient’s health results.
Lack of Resources
Medication therapy management is a service that aims to optimize medication use. It can help reduce the risk of medication errors and improve patient outcomes. Reducing the medicine needed to treat an illness can help cut healthcare expenditures. But a significant challenge to implementing MTM is the need for more resources. As a result, it has been difficult to achieve the desired impact on patient outcomes. A study found that, despite initial promising results, MTM had only a limited effect on patients and did not benefit most of those in need. The study’s authors identified several reasons, including the limitations in MTM implementation, technology, and patient engagement.
The good news is that there are solutions to these challenges.
