New From Town Square: Stars Medication Program
Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Town Square Launches New Stars Medication Program to Improve Medication Adherence and Prevent Adverse Drug Events in Medicare Advantage Plans
New tech-enabled, evidence-based initiative proven to improve health outcomes, reduce emergency department visits, and lower hospital readmissions for older adults.
[New York, NY] — Nov 19, 2024 — Town Square is proud to announce the launch of a new program, Stars Medication, designed to help Medicare Advantage plans improve medication adherence and prevent Adverse Drug Events (ADEs) among their members. This innovative offering aims to reduce costly healthcare utilization and improve overall health outcomes for seniors, especially those managing chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Medication non-adherence is a significant issue in the United States, leading to increased mortality, frequent emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, and a lower quality of life for millions of Americans. Disparities in adherence also exist based on gender and race, compounding the challenges.
CMS Star measures associated with medication are triple-weighted, and together they determine approximately one-third of a plan’s overall Star rating. These ratings have large financial implications for health plans, determining Star bonus revenue that plans can use to enrich benefits and attract more members. 1
Town Square’s Stars Medication program is a solution that combines cutting-edge technology with hands-on support from Community Health Workers (CHWs) to address these challenges head-on. The technology enables CHWs to conduct in-home assessments to screen for fall risks, conduct medication inventory, assess medication use, and identify hazardous drug interactions. Working in collaboration with contracted pharmacists, the platform screens for potential adverse effects related to psychotropic medications, cardiovascular drugs, and other high-risk prescriptions common in the senior population and sends medication change recommendations directly to the primary care physician and care team.
With millions of older adults struggling to manage their medications correctly, we are offering a comprehensive, evidence-based solution that directly addresses medication-related problems that put lives at risk," said Royal Tuthill, Founder & CEO of Town Square. "Our program helps to prevent unnecessary and costly hospitalizations, improves medication adherence, and ultimately enhances the health and well-being of those who need it most.
The scope of the problem is enormous. Medication errors contribute to more than 1 million emergency department visits each year, and drug-related morbidity and mortality cost the U.S. healthcare system more than $528 billion annually 2. Research shows that 30-66% of community-dwelling older adults experience medication-related issues, many of which are preventable 3. The Stars Medication program works to reduce these risks and prevent adverse outcomes, improving health plan ratings and driving meaningful financial incentives for health plans.
Stars Medication - Program Features:
- In-Home Medication Risk Assessment: Comprehensive evaluation of medication use, reviewed by pharmacists, to identify and address medication-related problems.
- Fall Risk and Health Risk Assessments: Home environment assessments and collection of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data to better understand and address the broader health needs of members.
- Medication Adherence Support: Enrollment in mail-delivery pharmacy services to help members manage their medications more effectively and reduce barriers to adherence.
- Primary Care and Wellness Visit Support: Assistance with finding a Primary Care Physician (PCP) and scheduling Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) to ensure holistic care.
Proven Outcomes:
Early results from the program have shown significant success in improving health outcomes:
- 12.8% reduction in emergency department visits
- 22% reduction in hospital readmissions.
- 84% patient acceptance rate with participants agreeing to and completing assessments.
These results underscore the program’s potential to not only improve health but also reduce the high costs associated with medication-related issues.
Stars Impact
The Stars Medication Program contributes to successful quality medication adherence and polypharmacy measures including:
- Polypharmacy Use of Multiple Anticholinergic Medications in Older Adults (Poly-ACH)
- Polypharmacy Use of Multiple Central Nervous System Active Medications in Older Adults (Poly-CNS)
- Concurrent Use of Opioids and Benzodiazepines (COB)
- Statin Therapy for Patients with Cardiovascular Disease
- Controlling High Blood Pressure
- Diabetes Care – Blood Sugar Controlled
About Town Square:
Town Square is a leading provider of technology to support virtual and in-home Community Health Worker (CHW) services, focused on improving the health and wellbeing of seniors through personalized care and support. Through a combination of technology and in-person care, Town Square helps health plans, providers, and communities achieve better health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and enhance the overall quality of life for older adults.
Making whole person health a reality in every community.
For more information about Town Square’s Stars Medication program or to learn more about our other comprehensive virtual and in-home CHW services, please contact us at:
Town Square
Email: [email protected]
Website: jointownsquare.com
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Sources:
(1) JAMA. 2013;309(3):267-274. doi:10.1001/jama.2012.173925 January 16, 2013 Association Between Medicare Advantage Plan Star Ratings and Enrollment. Rachel O. Reid, MS; Partha Deb, PhD; Benjamin L. Howell, PhD; William H. Shrank, MD, MSHS
(2) NIH. 2018 Sep;52(9):829-837. doi: 10.1177/1060028018765159. Epub 2018 Mar 26. Cost of Prescription Drug-Related Morbidity and Mortality. Jonathan H Watanabe, Terry McInnis, Jan D Hirsch
(3) NIH. Medication Management of the Community-Dwelling Older Adult. Karen Dorman Marek; Lisa Antle.