A SCAN Health Plan "deprescribing" program is working to identify unnecessary prescriptions. In 2023, the program resulted in an estimated $2 million in savings from avoided fractures, falls, visits to the emergency room and other adverse drug events. They estimate that these deprescribing efforts saved members $126,000 in annual out-of-pocket costs last year.

Recognizing Pharmacists' Role in Patient Care   
A survey conducted by Surescripts explored the attitudes of pharmacists and prescribers towards ongoing issues and challenges currently facing the industry. Based on results an increasing number of pharmacists and various types of clinicians congruently believe that the role of the pharmacist in providing primary care should be expanded. Most pharmacists and clinicians were also in agreement that medication costs and employee burnout were the 2 most pressing issues within the industry today.

Prioritizing Food as Medicine  
While Elevance, Kaiser Permanente and Highmark Health all have slightly different ways of addressing food as medicine within their organization, they have similar aspirations: to have a meaningful impact on food and nutrition security and diet-related disease. KP's Pamela Schwartz added that she wants to see more collaboration between healthcare organizations to move the needle on food and nutrition security. 

Pharmacy Measure Development & Implementation

PQA has completed two proof-of-concept pilots that implemented two blood pressure and two hemoglobin A1C pharmacy measure concepts in value-based payment arrangements (VBAs) between payers and pharmacies. The results are detailed in a report, Piloting PQA Pharmacy Measure Concepts for Blood Pressure and Hemoglobin A1C in Payer-Pharmacy Value-Based Arrangements.

The pilots were conducted through the PQA Quality Innovation and Research Center and leveraged the center's unique approaches and resources to address challenges in developing, testing and refining complex measure concepts. The pilot participants were Kroger in collaboration with Kroger Prescription Plans and Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield in collaboration with its regional pharmacy networks. 

The pilots and PQA’s other work to develop standard pharmacy measures will be the focus of the 2024 PQA Leadership Summit, November 7-8, in Arlington, Va. Through a series of interactive general session discussions, PQA staff and implementation project participants will detail their approach, experience and outcomes.

The Key Contact from each PQA member organization receives the registration information to attend the Leadership Summit. For the 2024 PQA Leadership Summit, PQA allows two individuals from each PQA member organization to attend this year’s summit. Please direct any questions about the summit to [email protected]

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