PBD’s Proactive Measures Ensure Members Have Access to Their Medications
The COVID-19 crisis has had a widespread impact on many businesses. Companies in numerous industries have had to adapt and evolve the way they do business to ensure they could continue to meet the rapidly changing needs of their customers.
At the onset of the pandemic in February 2020, Pharmacy Benefit Dimensions (PBD) immediately realized medication-use behaviors would be affected. As a pharmacy benefit manager that administers prescription drug plans for self-funded employer groups and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, PBD moved quickly to put new policies and procedures in place to ensure its members would have adequate supply and access to their prescribed medications. By establishing these proactive initiatives early, PBD has also helped to mitigate the administrative strain on providers.
“With the shelter in place mandate, we were concerned how members would go about getting their meds,” said Pat Comerford, PBD’s director of customer service and engagement. “We tried to alleviate their concerns. This is a critical time to help our members remain adherent to their medications.”
“All the changes we implemented for COVID have actually increased our member’s medication compliance during a national shutdown,” said PBD President Lynne Reilly.
PBD takes patient adherence rates seriously. These calculations show that members are taking the right drugs, on time and in the proper doses.
Why Drug Adherence Matters During COVID
Adherence, also referred to as Medication Possession Ratio (MPR), is a measure of how much medication, on average, a member has in their possession at any given time. It is calculated by looking at how many “day’s supply” a prescription is and how often it is being refilled. For example, if a member received a 30-day prescription, and it was filled every 30 days, the member would be 100% adherent. On a national level, the average MPR is 80%.
Medication nonadherence may lead to a worsening in a patient’s condition and increased health care costs.
“Increased adherence would presumably lower the overall health care costs for members and employer groups,” said Tim Flanagan, PBD’s director of business operations. “This would be due to members receiving overall better care.”