LTC Pharmacy Reduces Polypharmacy, Drives Medication Adherence

Long-term care (LTC) pharmacists are quietly delivering some of the most impactful clinical work in the Medicare system. According to one industry leader, it is well past time this specific area of the profession got the spotlight it deserves.

In a recent conversation, Esmé Grewal, president and CEO of the Senior Care Pharmacy Coalition (SCPC), laid out a compelling statistical case for why LTC pharmacy is one of health care’s most overlooked solutions to a very expensive problem.

Although medication adherence hovers around 50% in the general population, nursing home residents, supported by LTC pharmacy services, achieve a remarkable 92.5% adherence rate. In assisted living settings, that number still reaches 85.5%, and one study applying LTC pharmacy principles to home settings found a 73.1% reduction in hospitalizations.

The numbers behind non-optimized medication therapy tell an equally striking story. The US spends an estimated $528 billion annually on avoidable costs tied to medication mismanagement, representing 16% of total health expenditures.

At the center of addressing these issues are LTC consultant pharmacists, who conduct individualized drug regimen reviews, manage polypharmacy among patients taking a variety of medications, reduce fall risks, and collaborate directly with clinical teams on deprescribing. Pharmacists looking to understand where the profession can make its most measurable impact should be sure to tune into this conversation, while being on the lookout for more insights from our discussion with Grewal.

“The delivery is phenomenal. [LTC] pharmacies will deliver during natural disasters, [and] they will find patients,” Grewal told Drug Topics®. “They just make sure that people get the medications they need and should be applauded across the board for so many things.”

READ MORE: Q&A: LTC Pharmacy Crucial in Supporting Challenges Across Aging Populations