Developing and marketing a community pharmacy-based asthma management program.

OBJECTIVE

To develop a community pharmacy-based asthma management program and successfully market the program to a managed care organization.

SETTING

Community-based ambulatory care.

PRACTICE DESCRIPTION

Independent community pharmacy.

PRACTICE INNOVATION

Development of a structured, stepwise approach to creating, testing, delivering, and marketing a community pharmacy-based disease management program.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Peak expiratory flow rates, quality of life, use of health care services, HMO contract renewal.

RESULTS

A pharmacy-based asthma management program was developed, pilot tested, and successfully marketed to a local HMO. During the first full year of the program, HMO patients experienced significant improvements in quality of life and decreases in use of health care services, including a 77% decrease in hospitalization, a 78% decrease in emergency room visits, and a 25% decrease in urgent care visits. A contract that pays the pharmacy a flat fee for each patient admitted to the program has recently been renewed for a third year.

CONCLUSION

The program has proved to be an effective, practical, and profitable addition to the portfolio of services offered by the pharmacy.