Medication Therapy Management Practice Surveillance Across Virginia's Pharmacies

BACKGROUND: The Virginia Community Pharmacists Survey (VCPS, 2015) is a survey being conducted as part of two large Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) chronic disease grants (i.e., DP13-1305, DP14-1422). The survey measures the number of community pharmacists (CP) providing medication-therapy management (MTM) within Virginia. Medication therapy management is medical care provided by CP to optimize drug therapy and improve patient therapeutic outcomes. Both grants use the MTM strategy to target blood pressure control, and strengthen clinical-community linkages between health care providers and CP providing MTM. The VCPS will collect general demographics, perceptions toward MTM, what CP consider to be MTM, and potential barriers to providing MTM. This survey is part of a descriptive study that will inform performance measure deliverables, and strengthen the implementation of activities promoting MTM in Virginia.

METHODS: The study provides detail on the number of CP providing MTM in Virginia and within each of the 5 partnering DP14-1422 Local Health Districts (LHDs). Approximately 3,530 CP were licensed in Virginia during 2014. To obtain a representative sample across Virginia, 347 responses are needed. The survey instrument is a 16 item questionnaire administered via Survey Gizmo®, an online survey platform. The survey has both multiple-choice and yes/no questions. The survey will be emailed to the private email addresses, provided by the Virginia Board of Pharmacy, of approximately 13,000 licensed pharmacists in VA. However, responses will only be sought from currently licensed CP. Two reminder emails will be sent to non-responders after 7 and 15 days.

RESULTS: Data collection will begin January 2016. The survey will provide data ranging from the geographic location practice, practice settings (e.g., chain drug store), type of MTM provided, disease burden among patients receiving MTM, methods used to identify potential patients, pharmacists’ perceptions of their role providing MTM, the value of MTM towards increasing the quality of care and patient outcomes, and identifying barriers to providing MTM and how to overcome them. Health disparities will be addressed by identifying geospatial service gaps and high burden areas to target interventions.

CONCLUSIONS:  The VCPS results will be used to increase engagement of CP, especially those in high burden service gap areas, in the provision of MTM for adults with high blood pressure. The results are important for informing the implementation of program strategies and performance measure data collection for the two grants and in reducing and for improving the health of Virginians.