PBMI Workshop Focuses on Improving Medication Adherence

SCOTTSDALE, AZ--(Marketwire - January 15, 2010) - As part of its 2010 Drug Benefit Conference, the Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute (PBMI) will offer a half-day workshop on improving medication adherence to strengthen workforce health and the return on investment in drug benefit programs. The workshop will help employers work with pharmacy benefit managers to measurably increase member compliance with chronic disease therapies. PBMI's Drug Benefit Conference runs from Feb. 17-19 at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort in Phoenix. The workshop is on Feb. 17.

"When you're investing in maintenance drug therapies for chronic conditions, it's imperative to help patients take their medications properly and follow treatment guidelines," says PBMI President Dana H. Felthouse, MBA. "Medical evidence documents the clinical and economic returns on investment when patients comply with prescribed regimens."

Workshop faculty includes URAC representatives Lynn Martin, PhD, RPh, director of research services, and Terri Smith Moore, PhD, MBA, RPh, pharmacy accreditation reviewer. URAC recently added medication possession ratio (MPR) performance measures to its accreditation standards for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and drug therapy management (DTM) organizations. Other faculty members are John Jones, RPh, senior vice president of Prescription Solutions and Linda Kobilarcsik, RPh, director of clinical pharmacy programs for UnitedHealth Group - Ovations. They will present a case study showing how plans sponsors work with PBMs to increase medication adherence.

After attending the interactive workshop, participants should be able to define medication compliance, adherence and persistency; calculate MPR as a metric for adherence; and discuss how MPR data provide direction for clinical interventions to improve adherence.

The Drug Benefit Conference offers more solutions for improving the value of the drug benefit. Free continuing education credit is available for human resource/benefits professionals and pharmacists. Read workshop details, conference agenda and registration information at www.pbmi.com/conference.asp. The conference hotel discount rate and PBMI's early-bird registration fees have been extended to Jan. 23.

The Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute provides research and continuing education to help health care benefit executives work effectively with pharmacy benefit managers to improve the design and management of drug benefit programs. Learn more at www.pbmi.com. To view this release and other PBMI news, please visit www.pbmi.com/news-releases.asp

Contact Information: Contact: Maggie Bruce (480) 730-0814 Cell Phone: (602) 318-5003 Email: