The MedWise Program

Beth Martin, RPh; PhD

Betty Chewning, PhD

This project is currently funded by an Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea Grant

Funding & Team

• Initial & Current Funding:– 2011-12: Portage County ADRC– 2012-14: Ira and Ineva Reilly Baldwin Wisconsin Idea

Grant (Chewning & Martin)

• Team:– Portage County ADRC– University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy

Sonderegger Research Center– Community Academic Aging Research Network

(CAARN)

Motivation for the Study

• Number of medications & comorbidities increase with age

• Adults 60 and older have average of 4 chronic conditions with multiple medications

• As the number of medications increases, so does risk of adverse drug effects and med management problems

Med Coordination Partners Needed!

• Medication coordination gaps between providers

• Older adults are the most underused resource

• Program needed to enhance older adults’ medication communication and management skills

Pharmacists are underutilizedState law requires consultation on ALL prescriptions

Pharmacists are accessible

Pharmacist networks for quality care

Pharmacies offer MTM services… including immunizations, CMRs

MedWise Program Goals

• To increase older adults’ interest and ability to manage their medications safely

• To facilitate and encourage maintaining and sharing an updated medication list

• To improve older adults’ skills to talk with their pharmacist (and other health care providers) about their medications

Partnerships and Pilot

Janet Zander, ADRC Director Portage County

Jane Mahoney and Jill Ballard, CAARN - WiHA

MedWise Program• 2 group sessions to improve patient

communication and role play asking their questions with a guest pharmacist

• Identify risks and benefits of medication use; pharmacists’ role & why updated medication list is key

• Reinforce importance of own questions, ways to ask key questions, problem solving approach

What Did Preliminary Data Suggest?Pre-post surveys (N=13)

suggested increased:

• Knowledge about pharmacists’ roles / laws• Belief in carrying updated medication list• Belief in using pharmacist for medication

questions

What Did Preliminary Data Suggest? (cont)

Participants perceived themselves as more likely to: – Ask the RPh questions even when not asked– Express their opinions when they disagree

with the RPh– Routinely ask a pharmacist questions– Ask for more information until satisfied with

answer– Ask even when RPh & patient were busy

Participant Testimonials

What a great program… best, most practical, helpful health

presentation I’ve been to at the Center. I visit my primary care doctor tomorrow to talk to her

regarding my meds.

Lively discussion

informing us of pharmacists’

responsibilities and questions to ask as self-

advocates.

The importance of carrying an updated list of my meds and writing down my questions in advance. To be my own advocate.

Next Steps

• 2 pilot participants completed leader training– conducted sessions in Portage County

• Additional lay leader trainings• Disseminate to:

– Adams, Calumet, Green Lake, Marquette, Outagamie, Portage, Waupaca, Waushara

– 2 year funding begins July 1– Goal to enroll 300 older adults in the 2 years