Asthma

Study Title
The Asheville Project: Long-Term Clinical, Humanistic and Economic Outcomes of a Community-Based Medication Therapy Management Program for Asthma

Study Group
Quasi-experimental, longitudinal pre–post study

Summary
Patients with emergency department visits decreased from 9.9% to 1.3%, and hospitalizations from 4.0% to 1.9%. Spending on asthma medications increased; however, asthma-related medical claims decreased and total asthma-related costs were significantly lower than the projections based on the study population’s historical trends. Direct cost savings averaged $725/patient/year, and indirect cost savings were estimated to be $1,230/patient/year. Indirect costs due to missed/nonproductive workdays decreased from 10.8 days/year to 2.6 days/year. Patients were six times less likely to have an emergency department/hospitalization event after program interventions.

Citation
Barry A. Bunting and Carole W. Cranor,“The Asheville Project: Long-Term Clinical, Humanistic and Economic Outcomes of a Community-Based Medication Therapy Management Program for Asthma,” J Am Pharm Assoc. 2006;46(2):133–47. (http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/533424)

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Engage Patients in MTM to Reduce Asthma-Related Medical Costs

While medication costs increased, asthma-related medical costs decreased. Direct cost savings averaged $725/patient/year and indirect cost savings were estimated to be $1,230/patient/year."