Optimization of a medication therapy regimen

• US 8,700,430 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Miller, Scott A., Bertram, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Holcomb, Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/458,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20080126117A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,829 Days
• Field of Search: 705 2- 4, 705 2- 3
• US Class Current: 705/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/40 relating to drugs, e.g. their side effects or intended usage

Abstract

A method of optimizing a medication therapy regimen identifies opportunities to optimize a medication therapy regimen by removing and/or replacing medications. Methods of optimizing a medication therapy regimen and intervention thereof are provided herein. The methods of optimizing a medication therapy regimen include receiving information on medications for a person and determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen based on the medic.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored in a memory device for implementing a method of optimizing a person'"'"'s medication therapy regimen, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving medication data relating to one or more medications for a person from a first data source;

receiving medical condition data relating to a one or more medical conditions associated with the person from a second data source physically, logically and institutionally disparate from the first data source;

receiving medical provider data relating to one or more medical providers associated with the person from a third data source disparate from the first and second data sources;

causing the received medication data, the received medical condition data and the received medical provider data to be concurrently available at a medication provider workstation to perform a further determination pertaining to the person'"'"'s medication therapy regimen;

determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on two or more of the medication data, the medical condition data and the medical provider data;

evaluating the more efficient medication therapy regimen to determine an intervention severity index representative of the urgency involved in intervening in the medication therapy regimen of the person; and

intervening in a medical treatment of the person in accordance with the intervention severity index, wherein a more efficient medication therapy regimen having an intervention severity index greater than a predetermined threshold receives a different type of intervention than a more efficient medication therapy regimen having an intervention severity index less than the predetermined threshold;

wherein intervening in a medical treatment of the person also comprises;

determining the particular method of contact, based on the particular type of intervention involved or reasons for the intervention, to provide the intervention to the person, wherein the particular method of contact includes one of contacting the person directly or indirectly through another party; and

receiving and recording data concerning the results of contacting the person through the method of contact.

2. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data comprises instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data and the medical condition data.

3. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data comprises instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data and the medical provider data.

4. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises instructions for determining a replacement medication to replace one or more of the medications for the person.

5. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 4, wherein the instructions for determining a replacement medication comprises instructions for determining a replacement medication having a lower cost than one or more of the medications for the person.

6. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 4, wherein the instructions for determining a replacement medication comprises instructions for determining a replacement medication to reduce a side effect associated with one or more of the medications for the person.

7. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 4, wherein the instructions for determining a replacement medication comprises instructions for determining a replacement medication having a medical effect equivalent to one or more of the medications for the person.

8. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 4, wherein the instructions for determining a replacement medication comprises instructions for determining a replacement medication having an improved medical effect as compared to one or more of the medications for the person.

9. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 4, wherein the instructions for determining a replacement medication comprises instructions for determining a replacement medication to improve the combined medical effect of the remaining medications for the person and the replacement medication.

10. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises instructions for determining a medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person.

11. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 10, wherein the instructions for determining a medication to remove comprises instructions for determining a medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person if the medication is no longer medically required by the person.

12. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 10, wherein the instructions for determining a medication to remove comprises instructions for determining a medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person to improve the combined medical effect of the remaining medications for the person.

13. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 10, wherein the instructions for determining a medication to remove comprises instructions for determining a medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person to reduce a side effect associated with one or more of the medications for the person.

14. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 10, wherein the instructions for determining a medication to remove comprises instructions for determining a redundant medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person.

15. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 10, wherein the instructions for determining a medication to remove comprises instructions for determining a medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person if the medication is not associated with a reason for administering the medication to the person.

16. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises instructions for identifying an adverse health outcome associated with the one or more medications of the person.

17. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises instructions for determining a level of risk to the person'"'"'s health if one or more of the medications of the person were removed or replaced.

18. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, wherein the instructions for determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises instructions for adjusting one or more of the group consisting of:

medication strength of one or more of the medications of the person, usage of one or more of the medications of the person and instructions for administering one or more of the medications of the person.

19. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

prompting a user to contact one or more of the group consisting of;

the person and one or more medical providers associated with the person, regarding the more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person.

20. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

receiving post-contact data for the person regarding the more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person.

21. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 19, wherein the instructions for contacting the person regarding the more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person comprises instructions for contacting the person regarding one or more of the group consisting of:

a medication name, a medication strength, a medication use and instructions for administering a medication.

22. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored in a memory device for implementing a method of optimizing a medication therapy regimen, the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving medication data relating to one or more medications for each of a plurality of persons from one or more first data sources;

receiving medical condition data relating to a one or more medical conditions associated with each of the plurality of persons from one or more data sources physically, logically and institutionally disparate from the one or more first data sources;

receiving medical provider data relating to one or more medical providers associated with each of the plurality of persons from one or more third data sources disparate from the one or more first and second data sources;

causing the received medication data, the received medical condition data and the received medical provider data to be concurrently available at a medication provider workstation;

identifying a plurality of persons each having multiple medications or multiple medical providers;

analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons based on two or more of the medication data, the medical condition data and the medical provider data, the first medication therapy regimen comprising the multiple medications prescribed by one or more multiple medical providers;

developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified persons based on analyzing the first medication therapy regimen;

evaluating the second medication therapy regimen to determine an intervention severity index for each of the identified persons, wherein the intervention severity index is representative of the urgency involved in intervening in the first medication therapy regimen of the person; and

intervening in a medical treatment of the person in accordance with the intervention severity index, wherein a second medication therapy regimen having an intervention severity index greater than a predetermined threshold receives a different type of intervention than a second medication therapy regimen having an intervention severity index less than the predetermined threshold;

wherein intervening in a medical treatment of the person also comprises;

determining the particular method of contact, based on the particular type of intervention involved or reasons for the intervention, to provide the intervention to the person, wherein the particular method of contact includes one of contacting the person directly or indirectly through another party; and

receiving and recording data concerning the results of contacting the person through the method of contact.

23. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for identifying a plurality of persons each having multiple medications comprises instructions for identifying one or more persons having one or more of the group consisting of:

multiple medications, multiple medical providers and multiple medical conditions.

24. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for identifying a plurality of persons comprises instructions for performing predictive modeling based on one or more of the group consisting of:

multiple medications, multiple medical providers and multiple medical conditions.

25. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for identifying a plurality of persons comprises instructions for stratifying the persons according to one or more of the group consisting of:

a number of medications of each person, a number of medical providers and a number of medical conditions.

26. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons comprises instructions for analyzing one or more of the group consisting of:

a cost of one or more of the multiple medications, a side effect of one or more of the multiple medications, a medical effect of one or more of the multiple medications, a combined medical effect of two or more of the multiple medications, reasons for administering one or more of the multiple medications and redundant medications among the multiple medications.

27. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons comprises instructions for identifying an adverse health outcome based on the multiple medications.

28. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons comprises instructions for determining a level of risk to the person'"'"'s health based on the multiple medications.

29. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified persons comprises instructions for collaborating with a medical provider of each person.

30. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified persons comprises instructions for determining a level of risk to the person'"'"'s health based on the second medication therapy regimen.

31. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for determining if one or more of the multiple medications is required.

32. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for determining a medication to replace one or more of the multiple medications.

33. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for determining one or more medications to remove from the multiple medications.

34. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen having a lower cost as compared to the first medication therapy regimen.

35. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen having reduced side effects as compared to the first medication therapy regimen.

36. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen having an improved medical effect on the person as compared to the first medication therapy regimen.

37. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen having reduced side effects on the person as compared to the first medication therapy regimen.

38. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for changing a strength of one or more of the multiple medications.

39. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises instructions for changing instructions for administering one or more of the multiple medications to the person.

40. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for intervening in the medical treatment of the person comprises instructions for contacting a medical provider for each of the identified persons regarding the second medication therapy regimen.

41. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, wherein the instructions for intervening in the medical treatment of the person compises instructions for contacting the identified person regarding the second medication therapy regimen.

42. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 41, wherein the instructions for contacting the identified person comprises instructions for contacting the person regarding one or more of the group consisting of:

a medication name, a medication strength, a medication use and instructions for administering a medication.

43. The computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions of claim 22, further comprising instructions for receiving post-execution data for each identified person regarding the second medication therapy regimen.