MIME COLLABORATES

MIME continually pursues partnerships with insurers and other payers to ensure the quality of Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services that are rendered.

MIME introduces all of its potential customers to the benefits of partnerships by demonstrating the unique and improved health opportunities that are evoked in these relationships. By exploring these opportunities, MIME and its consumers bring about a higher quality of health outcomes while reducing cost and time consumption.

MIME provides unique products and services in the healthcare market place. These services include engaging in contracts with pharmacies and physician groups to provide collaborative practices that improve patient outcomes. These unique pharmaceutical programs are also offered to individual consumers. Services extend to payers as well in order to improve the health outcomes of their beneficiaries while encouraging overall cost savings for the payer.

MIME continually incorporates quality improvements that enhance healthcare management standards in the practice of pharmacy. MIME provides the highest quality of Medication Therapy Management (MTM) while encouraging the consumer to actively engage in decisions that affect optimal health care delivery. MIME seeks and develops new tools geared to improve health outcomes related to medication use locally, regionally and nationally.

MIME proactively integrates and supports a multifaceted customer base of pharmacists, pharmacies, pharmacy associations, physicians, caregivers, patients and payers (self-insured employers, home healthcare organizations, disease management operations, etc.)

Pharmacists and pharmacies partner with MIME to develop programs that provide value-added services to their clientele. Physician offices receive external validation of their practice models by consulting with MIME on their clinical pathways and therapeutic drug monitoring. Opportunities for collaborative practice agreements allow MIME to work with physicians in a mutually-beneficial manner to improve patient care. MIME’s approach recognizes patients as the focus with supports to pharmacy as front-line care and service deliverers in concert with related services which are crucial to wellness outcome(s).

New approaches to Medication Therapy Management (MTM) have emerged which emphasize patient health education, empowerment and self-determination. This evidences a growing recognition that pharmacists, in a variety of settings, have been providing unreimbursed cognitive services to the healthcare industry for many years. Although this service has been provided in the past, most often the practice has been an abbreviated approach in order to provide patient consultation.

 

In recent years, many pilot programs have shown great success in producing improved health outcomes with a decrease in total healthcare costs (i.e. The Asheville Project.)

In January 2006, Medicare Part D implemented Medication Therapy Management Services (MTMS) as a component of patient prescription drug plan benefits. This program allows for reimbursement of cognitive services related to medication therapy. Pharmacists were named as a primary provider in the law and can now be recognized for their valuable contribution in ensuring the appropriate use of medications (prescription and over-the-counter).

Most of today’s practicing pharmacists work in what has become the ‘traditional’ community pharmacy. MIME addresses this opportunity to fully leverage the unparalleled resource and drug therapy expertise that pharmacists of today represent. MIME’s goal establishes a path for pharmacists to demonstrate their true ability to convert ‘retail transactions’ into viable ‘healthcare experiences’ for patients, prescribers and payers. MIME’s commitment optimizes delivery of the innovative pharmaceutical care model.

Asheville Project The Asheville Project began in 1996 as an effort by the City of Asheville, North Carolina, a self-insured employer, to provide education and personal oversight for employees with chronic health problems such as diabetes, asthma, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Through the Asheville Project, employees with these conditions were provided with intensive education through the Mission-St. Joseph’s Diabetes and Health Education Center. Patients were then teamed with community pharmacists who made sure they were using their medications correctly. The Asheville Project led pharmacists to develop thriving patient care services in their community pharmacies. Employees, retirees, and dependents with diabetes soon began experiencing improved A1C levels, lower total health care costs, fewer sick days, and increased satisfaction with their pharmacist’s services. Today, the Asheville Project has inspired a new health care model for individuals with chronic conditions.  Unlike other experiments, the Asheville model is payer-driven and patient-centered.  Employers are adopting this approach as an additional health care benefit to empower their employees to control their chronic diseases, reduce their health risks, and ultimately lower their health care costs.  The APhA Foundation is spearheading a nationwide effort to demonstrate how the Asheville model can be adapted and implemented in diverse, geographic regions throughout the country, with similar results and cost-savings through the HealthMapRX.