Walgreens Studies Demonstrate Success of HIV-Specialized Pharmacies in Improving Patient Medication Adherence
November 12 2013 - 1:56PM
Business Wire
Company presents study findings at Cell-Lancet
HIV/AIDS conference
Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG) recently presented research
from two retrospective cohort studies exploring HIV and comorbid
medication adherence at HIV-specialized pharmacies and the
implications for HIV patients with serious mental illness1. The
research, presented at the Cell-Lancet conference, What Will it
Take to Achieve an AIDS-free World?, in San Francisco, demonstrates
that adherence to therapeutic treatments for HIV and associated
comorbidities, such as serious mental illness, was significantly
higher for patients using Walgreens HIV-specialized pharmacies than
for patients using other Walgreens retail pharmacies.
“Medication adherence is vital to maintaining optimal health for
patients with the HIV virus. Poor medication adherence can lead to
treatment failure, resistance to therapy and increased mortality
and is one of the greatest and most costly barriers in treating
illness today,” said Janeen DuChane, PhD, senior director of
clinical outcomes and analytics, Walgreens. “By developing
specialized patient support programs, we can improve adherence for
HIV patients, better serve HIV populations and reduce medical
costs.”
In examining the differences in medication adherence for
patients using Walgreens HIV-specialized pharmacies and those using
other Walgreens retail pharmacies, researchers confirmed that HIV
patients utilizing the specialized pharmacies were more adherent to
their anti-retroviral and comorbid therapies. The study found that
the mean proportion of days covered for patients using Walgreens
HIV-specialized pharmacies was significantly higher than for
patients using other Walgreens retail pharmacies.
- For patients taking angiotensin
converting enzyme or angiotensin receptor blocker (drugs used to
treat hypertension), Walgreens HIV-specialized pharmacy users had a
significantly higher mean proportion of days covered of 82.6
percent compared with 79.6 percent in patients using other
Walgreens retail pharmacies.
- Among patients taking statins (drugs
used to treat high cholesterol), Walgreens HIV-specialized pharmacy
users also had a higher mean proportion of days covered of 83.7
percent than those using other Walgreens retail pharmacies (81.3
percent).
In a separate study, Walgreens researchers conducted a
retrospective data analysis of HIV patients with serious mental
illness, a group that often experience challenges associated with
the willingness and ability to take medication as prescribed which
can contribute to a two-fold increase in hospitalization costs.
Nearly 30 percent of HIV patients assessed had an indication of
serious mental illness comorbidity and demonstrated increased
medication adherence2 when utilizing a Walgreens HIV-specialized
pharmacy. Specifically, the study found:
- Among HIV patients with serious mental
illness who exclusively used HIV-specialized pharmacies, 32.7
percent were adherent to their anti-retroviral therapy versus 19.4
percent for HIV patients with serious mental illness using other
Walgreens retail pharmacies.
Both studies validate the benefit of patient medication
adherence associated with HIV-specialized pharmacies and underscore
Walgreens commitment to be a part of the solution to end AIDS.
Walgreens award-winning HIV-specialized pharmacies provide
education, counseling, testing and treatment through its more than
2,000 HIV-trained pharmacists at more than 700 locations.
The Cell-Lancet conference, What Will it Take to Achieve an
AIDS-free World?, gathered both research and medical experts to
share and discuss the latest developments in the fight against
HIV/AIDS.
About Walgreens
As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2013 sales
of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to be the
first choice in health and daily living for everyone in America,
and beyond. Each day, Walgreens provides more than 6 million
customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer
goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and
wellness services and advice in communities across America.
Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty,
infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory
services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs
for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health
systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The
company operates 8,131 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Take Care Health
Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most
comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and
in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 750 locations
throughout the country.
_____________________________
1 Dr Janeen DuChane PhD,Michael Taitel PhD,Leonard Fensterheim
MPH,Bobby Clark PhD,John Hou PhD,Julia Zhu MPH,Jenny Jiang MS,Adam
Cannon MPH,Glen Pietrandoni RPhThe Lancet - 3 November 2013 (
Vol. 382, Page S3 )DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(13)62251-5
2 Adherence was defined as proportion of days covered greater
than or equal to 95 percent.
WalgreensMarkeisha Marshall,
847-315-2923http://news.walgreens.com@WalgreensNewsfacebook.com/Walgreens
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