Improving Medication Insecurity Through Community Events

In the United States, 58 million Americans have difficulty paying for prescription medications due to lack of insurance, high prescription costs, unstable employment, and competing financial demands. High prescription costs reportedly contribute to medication nonadherence for 60% of patients. Medication nonadherence accounts for 30% of hospital admissions, further exacerbating the detrimental impact of medication insecurity such as worsening patient outcomes, quality of life, readmissions rates, and overall health care expenditure. To understand the prevalence and address medication insecurity among the communities served by the Center for Health Excellence, Quality, and Innovation (CHEQI), a survey was developed and disseminated via a community partner to identify needs and patterns in medications that community members have difficulty affording. In response to these needs and to provide consistent support, the Medication Access Resource Tool (MART) was designed to provide a quick and comprehensive guide for navigating medication access resources to improve affordability based on individualized factors. To test the implementation of MART, students enrolled in the Doctor of Pharmacy program screened and surveyed over 512 individuals at the Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, the St. Vincent De Paul Food Pantry, and the Indiana Black Expo to assess medication access needs and develop a customized medication cost-reduction plan. The students applied MART to identify and utilize available resources to find options for medication substitutions and discounts to assist people with out-of-pocket costs. Through the pilot program, the team was able to offer a total savings of $15,975 in medication costs. This hands-on experience demonstrated the importance of assisting patients in navigating medication related costs.