Explore Options to Improve Medication Access for Patients

Abstract

PreviousNext You have accessCultural Aspects of Health Care: A Toolkit for Pharmacy EducationExplore Options to Improve Medication Access for Patientshttps://doi.org/10.21019/culturaltoolkit-healthdisp.improve_med-accessAuthors:Nancy Borja-HartNancy Borja-HartSearch for more papers by this author SectionsSupplemental MaterialAboutReferences ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ModuleHealth Disparities & Social Determinants of HealthLearner level:Introduce or reinforceAudience:Any student populationSettings:Classroom-based activityTime needed:Minimum time frame – 2 hoursNumber of learners:OpenNumber of facilitators:As neededPre-requisitesDefine Social Determinants of Health, Built EnvironmentReasons Place MattersLearning objectivesBy the end of this educational activity, learners should be able to:Explore options to improve medication access for patientsBackgroundIf a patient has a medication that they can no longer afford or are prescribed a medication that they cannot afford initially, how can pharmacists find affordable alternatives to what they are prescribed?Prescription cost can be a large driver of medication nonadherence. In some instances, patients contribute to cost-related nonadherence by skipping doses, taking less of their prescribed medication, or delaying fills, all to save money. Many times, patients reach for quick tools such as GoodRx to save money at the time of fill, but what options exist that can help patients for the longevity of their medication need? Additionally, how can students/pharmacists learn more about medication access/availability in their community?Materials neededLaptops or smartphones to look up the following:Prescription assistance programsState insurance plan (Medicaid)Local pharmacy discount programsSafety-net systemsMethodsStudents will work in groups to identify pharmacy resources available through prescription assistance programs (PAP), their state insurance plan, local pharmacist discount programs, and safety-net systems in their community.Advise students that they will complete the Medication Access Option Worksheet to learn more about their community of pharmacy access. Using the worksheet, they can look up any pharmaceutical industry program, their state Medicaid page, local pharmacy programs, and safety-net access. Provide students at least 30 minutes for the worksheet portion of this activity.Once identified, have students review criteria for consideration and determine which patients would best fit criteria and which patients do not qualify.Students should be ready to discuss their findings and should submit their group worksheet to the instructor.ActivityBy looking up materials in the provided categories, students will be forced to look up resources on a national, state, and local level.Students can be given additional guided questions to assist with their worksheet development. Some examples are below:What search terms did you use?What drug company(ies) provide prescription-assistance programs?What would be the maximum income level be for a family of 4 to qualify for your state’s Medicaid program?How did you find your safety-net programs? Are they hospital-driven locations? Would undocumented patients without a social security numbers (noncitizens) qualify for these programs? Do you see any mention of 340B drug pricing within these programs?Does the discount pharmacy program(s) found have a membership cost? Is the formulary easily available for patients to bring to their doctor’s office?Bring up to the students the limitation of today’s activity; we did not discuss Part D/Medicare plans, nor actual insurance plans patients may have to understand what medications are covered under their formulary.Have students consider the external validity of their findings; which patients would benefit most?AssessmentTeam worksheet will be submitted to show assignment completion.Discussion: students will be asked to report their findings to the class; this will allow students that had different findings to share alternative options.MappingPharmacy CAPE 2013 Outcomes:3.3 Patient Advocacy (advocate): Assure that patients’ best interests are represented.3.5. Cultural Sensitivity (includer): Recognize social determinants of health to diminish disparities and inequities in access to quality care.4.1. Self-Awareness (self-aware): Examine and reflect on personal knowledge, skills, abilities, beliefs, biases, motivation, and emotions that could enhance or limit personal and professional growth.CitationsKennedy J. Using Cost-Related Medication Nonadherence to Assess Social and Health Policies. Am J Public Health 2018;108(2):168-170. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.304237 Crossref, Medline, Google Scholar, Khan G, Karabon P, Lerchenfeldt S. Use of Prescription Assistance Programs After the Affordable Health Care Act. J Manag Care Spec Pharm 2018;24:247-251. doi:10.18553/jmcp.2018.24.3.247 Medline, Google Scholar, PreviousNext Session Activity Recently Viewed Explore Options to Improve Medication Access for Patients Nancy Borja-Hart Recently Searched No search history FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Published: 26 October 2021 Copyright & Permissions© 2021 by the American Pharmacists Association. All rights reserved© 2021 by the American Pharmacists Association. All rights reserved Publisher American Pharmacists Association HistoryPublished: 26 October 2021 Citation Information Nancy Borja-Hart, (2021), "Explore Options to Improve Medication Access for Patients," Cultural Aspects of Health Care: A Toolkit for Pharmacy Education https://doi.org/10.21019/culturaltoolkit-healthdisp.improve_med-access Loading ...