Pharmacy Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Pharmacy, including details on drug stores, prescriptions, health care.

Medication therapy management: its relationship to patient counseling, disease management, and pharmaceutical care.

McGivney MS, Meyer SM, Duncan-Hewitt W, Hall DL, Goode JV, Smith RB

School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. somma@pitt.edu

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the relationship, including similarities and differences, between medication therapy management (MTM) and contemporary pharmacist-provided services, including patient counseling, disease management, and pharmaceutical care, to facilitate the continued evolution of commonly used language and a standard of practice across geographic areas and practice environments. SUMMARY: Incorporation of MTM services into the array of Medicare-funded services affords an opportunity for pharmacists to develop direct patient care services in the community. Defining the role of MTM within the scope of pharmacist-provided patient care activities, including patient counseling, disease management, and all currently provided pharmacy services is essential to the delineation of a viable and sustainable practice model for pharmacists. The definitions of each of these services are offered, as well as comparisons and contrasts of the individual services. In addition to Medicare-eligible patients, MTM services are appropriate for anyone with medication-related needs. MTM is offered as an all-encompassing model that incorporates the philosophy of pharmaceutical care, techniques of patient counseling, and disease management in an environment that facilitates the direct collaboration of patients, pharmacists, and other health professionals. CONCLUSION: Defining the role of MTM within the current patient care models, including patient counseling, disease management, and all who provide pharmacy services, is essential in delineating a viable and sustainable practice model for pharmacists.

Published 12 September 2007 in J Am Pharm Assoc (2003), 47(5): 620-8.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Pharmacy Research Today. All Rights Reserved.