Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34007601›Full record

ArticleInnovations in pharmacy2020

Cost-Savings and Patient Experience with a Pharmacy-Led Medicare Part D Consultation Service.

Logan Murry, Brandon Gerleman, Huiwen Deng, Julie Urmie

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Innovations in pharmacy, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 8 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Beyond satisfaction in person-centered pharmacy services.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2023
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Logan MurryDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Science, The University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA.
Brandon GerlemanOutcomesMTM, Des Moines, IA.
Huiwen DengDepartment of Pharmacy Practice, Policy and Outcomes, The University of Illinois-Chicago.
Julie UrmieDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Science, The University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, Iowa City, IA.
University of Iowa · USHealth Outcomes Solutions (United States) · USUniversity of Illinois Chicago · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThere are many Medicare Part D plans, making it difficult for patients to choose the optimal plan. The decision to remain on current Medicare plans is reinforced by patient inertia and uncertainty associated with plan-switching decisions. By helping patients identify more cost-effective plans, pharmacists and pharmacy personnel have the ability to inform plan-switching decisions resulting in lower out-of-pocket (OOP) costs.

objectivesThis study evaluates 1) patient experience with a pharmacy Medicare Part D consultation service and 2) potential out-of-pocket savings based on a patient's best plan for 2019 compared to continuation of a patient's 2018 Medicare Part D plan.

methodsThis study was a retrospective descriptive analysis and took place at a single, independently owned community pharmacy. Patients received free individual consultations with a pharmacist that included a medication review and information on all available Part D plans. Patients were selected to receive the service using pharmacy software to identify potential inefficiencies in current Part D plans. Data on satisfaction and perceived pharmacist role in providing Medicare Part D information were collected via an in-person survey administered at the pharmacy. Potential out-of-pocket cost savings were determined using cost information provided for patient specific medication regimens entered into Medicare.gov, the online platform for Medicare Part D plan information.

resultsOf the 318 patients identified, 79 used the consultation service. Out of 79 patients who used the service in fall of 2017, 44 completed the survey for a response rate of 56%.Patients generally reported good experiences with the service. Open-ended responses revealed patients utilize a variety of helpers for plan information and decisions. A subset of 14 patients were identified as having clear plan-switching decisions and were included in the cost-savings analysis.

conclusionsPatients using a free Medicare Part D plan consultation were satisfied with the service, suggesting that helpers were an important resource n their plan-selection process. Using the pharmacist-led Part D consultation may result in decreases in out-of-pocket cost savings due to identification of optimal Medicare Part D plans.

Indexed as

cost-savingsMedicare Part Dpharmacy practicepharmacy servicesatisfaction

Identifiers

PMID34007601
PMCPMC8051910
OpenAlexW3034340769

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.