New Managed Care Data Have Been Reported by Researchers at University of Montreal (Association of the Medwise Risk Score With Health Care Outcomes): Managed Care

2021 NOV 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators publish new report on Managed Care. According to news reporting originating in Montreal, Canada, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Older patients are especially vulnerable to drug-related problems due to multiple prescription drugs, which increases their risk of drug-drug interactions and adverse drug events (ADEs). This study aimed to examine outcomes associated with the MedWise Risk Score (MRS) in a Medicare Part D population, including total medical expenditures, ADEs, falls, mortality, emergency department (ED) visits, hospital admissions, and length of stay (LOS).”

Financial supporters for this research include Blue Cross and Blue Shield Northern Plains Alliance (NPA), CMS Innovation Center’s Enhanced Medication Therapy Management (MTM) model, ClearStone Solutions, Tabula Rasa HealthCare.

The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the University of Montreal, “Retrospective observational study. The association between MRS and patient health outcomes was derived using drug claims data from 213,561 beneficiaries and medication risk stratification using outcomes data in 2018 with 1 year of follow-up. Analyses were conducted with the Max MRS and the Mean MRS calculated over the year. Analyses utilizing the Max MRS performed better, and results using the Max MRS are presented. Statistical analyses were performed using linear regression, logistic regression, negative binomial regression, and zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) models. Of 203,630 patients studied (mean +/- SD age, 76.0 +/- 8.0 years), 4.9%, 9.8%, 24.5%, and 15.5% experienced at least 1 ADE, fall, ED visit, and hospital admission, respectively, in 2018. The MRS was associated with an 8.5% change in total medical expenditure per 1-unit increase. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) of ADE was 1.058 (95% CI, 1.055-1.06)/unit MRS. ADEs, falls, and death were more likely in elevated MRS categories (eg, OR of 4.45 for ADEs [95% CI, 4.10-4.83], 5.51 for falls [95% CI, 5.17-5.87], and 4.42 for death [95% CI, 3.82-5.12], respectively for Severe MRS group). Our model predicts 7000 ED visits for every 100,000 patients per unit increase of the MRS. The ZIP models estimated ORs of 1.03 and 1.01 for hospital admissions and increase in hospital LOS, respectively, per MRS unit.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “This study shows that MRS was associated with health outcomes and therefore could be used to identify patients at increased risk of negative outcomes based primarily on their medication regimens.”

This research has been peer-reviewed.

For more information on this research see: Association of the Medwise Risk Score With Health Care Outcomes. The American Journal of Managed Care, 2021;27. The American Journal of Managed Care can be contacted at: Managed Care & Healthcare Communications Llc, 666 Plainsboro Rd, Ste 300, Plainsboro, NJ 08536, USA.

Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Jacques Turgeon, University of Montreal, Montreal, Pq, Canada. Additional authors for this research include Veronique Michaud, Matt K. Smith, Ravil Bikmetov, Pamela Dow, Joshua Johnson, Alan Stein, Stephanie Finnel and Huaichuan Jin.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.37765/ajmc.2021.88753. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

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