Jason Shafrin
Managing multiple medications is a challenge for many individuals, particularly the elderly. One study by Almodóvar et al. (2019) found that among Medicare beneficiaries eligible for medication therapy management (MTM), 51% had used 11 or more medications.
One approach to improving medication management is to use an appointment-based model (ABM) and other forms of medication synchronization.
What is medication synchronization? Luder et al. (2024) write:
One nonadherence intervention is to improve convenience by simplifying the steps to obtain and manage multiple medications. Medication synchronization coordinates refills so all medications can be picked up at the same time. A meta-analysis found that patients with synchronized medications had a 2.3 greater odds of adherence (95% CI = 1.99-2.64) compared with usual care. [Nsiah et al. 2021]4 Specifically, the appointment-based model (ABM) had the largest effect on adherence (odds ratio 3.1, 95% CI = 2.72-3.63) compared with telephone reminder calls, automated refills, and other non-ABM program types.
Even if ABM can improve medication adherence, another question is whether it saves money. Luder and co-authors found that it does. …
