Optimization Of A Medication Therapy Regimen

• US 20080126117A1
• Filed: 07/17/2006
• Published: 05/29/2008
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• 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 method of optimizing a person'"'"'s medication therapy regimen:

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

determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data; and

intervening in a medical treatment of the person in response to determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving medical condition data relating to one or more medical conditions associated with the person wherein determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data comprises determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data and the medical condition data.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving medical provider data relating to one or more medical providers associated with the person, wherein determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data comprises determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data and the medical provider data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises determining a replacement medication to replace one or more of the medications for the person.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a replacement medication comprises determining a replacement medication having a lower cost than one or more of the medications for the person.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a replacement medication comprises determining a replacement medication to reduce a side effect associated with one or more of the medications for the person.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a replacement medication comprises determining a replacement medication having a medical effect equivalent to one or more of the medications for the person.

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

9. The method of claim 4, wherein determining a replacement medication comprises determining a replacement medication to improve the combined medical effect of the remaining medications for the person and the replacement medication.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises determining a medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a medication to remove comprises 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 method of claim 10, wherein determining a medication to remove comprises 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 method of claim 10, wherein determining a medication to remove comprises 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 method of claim 10, wherein determining a medication to remove comprises determining a redundant medication to remove from one or more of the medications for the person.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein determining a medication to remove comprises 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 method of claim 1, wherein determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises identifying an adverse health outcome associated with the one or more medications of the person.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises 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 method of claim 1, wherein determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen comprises 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 method of claim 1, further comprising 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 method of claim 19, further comprising receiving post-contact data for the person regarding the more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein contacting the person regarding the more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person comprising 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 method of optimizing a medication therapy regimen, comprising:

identifying one or more persons having multiple medications;

analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons, the first medication therapy regimen comprising the multiple medications;

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

executing the second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified persons.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein identifying one or more persons having multiple medications comprises 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 method of claim 22, wherein identifying one or more persons comprises performing predictive modeling based on one or more of the group consisting of:

multiple medications, multiple medical providers and multiple medical conditions.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein identifying one or more persons comprises 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 method of claim 22, wherein analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons comprises 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 method of claim 22, wherein analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons comprises identifying an adverse health outcome based on the multiple medications.

28. The method of claim 22, wherein analyzing a first medication therapy regimen associated with each of the identified persons comprises determining a level of risk to the person'"'"'s health based on the multiple medications.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified persons comprises collaborating with a medical provider of each person.

30. The method of claim 22, wherein developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified persons comprises determining a level of risk to the person'"'"'s health based on the second medication therapy regimen.

31. The method of claim 22, wherein developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises determining if one or more of the multiple medications is required.

32. The method of claim 22, wherein developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises determining a medication to replace one or more of the multiple medications.

33. The method of claim 22, wherein developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises determining one or more medications to remove from the multiple medications.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises developing a second medication therapy regimen having a lower cost as compared to the first medication therapy regimen.

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

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

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

38. The method of claim 22, wherein developing a second medication therapy regimen for each of the identified person comprises changing a strength of one or more of the multiple medications.

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

40. The method of claim 22, wherein executing the second medication therapy regimen comprising contacting a medical provider for each of the identified persons regarding the second medication therapy regimen.

41. The method of claim 22, wherein executing the second medication therapy regimen comprising contacting the identified person regarding the second medication therapy regimen.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein contacting the identified person comprises 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 method of claim 22, further comprising receiving post-execution data for each identified person regarding the second medication therapy regimen.

44. A method of conducting a business relating to optimizing a medication therapy regimen, the method comprising:

receiving a request to subscribe to a medication therapy management service;

providing a medication therapy management service relating to optimizing a medication therapy regimen, wherein the medication therapy management service includes intervening in the medication therapy regimen if the medication therapy management service identifies an opportunity to optimize the medication therapy regimen;

submitting a reimbursement code in response to the intervention; and

receiving reimbursement for the service in response to the reimbursement code.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the intervention in the medication therapy regimen comprises creating a new medication therapy regimen for the person and providing the person with the new medication therapy regimen.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein creating a new medication therapy regimen for the person comprises consulting with a medical provider associated with the person to determine the new medication therapy regimen.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein providing a medication therapy management service relating to optimizing a medication therapy regimen comprises:

receiving data relating to one or more medications for a person;

receiving data relating to one or more medical conditions associated with the person;

receiving data relating to one or more medical providers associated with the person; and

determining a more efficient medication therapy regimen for the person based on the medication data, the medical condition data and the medical provider data.

48. The method of claim 44, wherein the reimbursement code comprises a National Council for Prescription Drug Programs Professional Pharmacy Services code.