Many patients with type 2 diabetes could avoid the long-term complications of their disease by ensuring consistent and proper glycemic control. With insulin use decreasing in recent years and the use of newer agents increasing, treatment regiments have changed drastically. Newer options may affect rates of glycemic control but may also be adding to the complexity of clinical decision making, as well as the management of benefits for plans and payers.
Many patients with type 2 diabetes could avoid the long-term complications of their disease by ensuring consistent and proper glycemic control. With insulin use decreasing in recent years and the use of newer agents increasing, treatment regiments have changed drastically. Newer options may affect rates of glycemic control but may also be adding to the complexity of clinical decision making, as well as the management of benefits for plans and payers. Managed Care Organizations can help play an important role in reducing overall healthcare costs for patients with type 2 diabetes by bridging the gap between what is recommended care and what is actual care.
One featured satellite symposium at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 24th Annual Meeting, “Emerging Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Strategies: Practical Solutions for a Complex and Swiftly Changing Environment,” included the following distinguished panel of key opinion leaders: Susan Ann Cornell, PharmD, CDE, FAPhA, FAADE, assistant professor in the Department of Pharmacy Practice at Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy; Lawrence Blonde, MD, FACP, FACE, director of the Ochsner Diabetes Clinical Research Unit; John M. Cruickshank, DO, MBA, CPE, Chief Medical Officer, Lovelace Health Plan; and James T. Kenney, Jr, RPh, MBA, Pharmacy Operations Manager, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Inc.
Dr Cornell began by discussing the importance of treatment adherence and the effect nonadherence continues to have on the rising cost of healthcare by stating that “all of the knowledge we have does no good if the patient does not take their medication.” Dr Cornell also referenced a recent study in which researchers found that 50% of prescriptions are stopped within the first 6 months of treatment. This alarming finding is a significant problem for patients with diabetes when considering that the first 3 to 6 months of a new therapy is crucial for long-term adherence.
Dr Blonde also highlighted the obesity epidemic as related to diabetes, suggesting that most patients would require a combination of prescriptions as well as lifestyle intervention. Dr Cruickshank pointed out the rising prevalence of diabetes in the United States and the increasing importance this disease has on the overall national healthcare discussion; as A1c rises, so too does the total out-of-pocket costs for the patient. He emphasized the importance of value-based treatment.
Lastly, Dr Kenney discussed the value of comparative effectiveness research treatments for patients with type 2 diabetes, and other comparison tools (eg, Markov modeling vs other agents). He introduced a few disease-based pharmacoeconomic models designed to aid formulary decision making when long-term outcomes data are lacking.
For more information regarding the AMCP 24th Annual Meeting, please visit www.amcp.org.
ATS 2024: Bridging the Past, Present, and Future of Respiratory Care
May 16th 2024The application of artificial intelligence in medicine is anticipated as a highlight of ATS 2024, with sessions exploring its applications in research, radiological interpretation, and pediatric pulmonology.
Read More
The Importance of Examining and Preventing Atrial Fibrillation
August 29th 2023At this year’s American Society for Preventive Cardiology Congress on CVD Prevention, Emelia J. Benjamin, MD, ScM, delivered the Honorary Fellow Award Lecture, “The Imperative to Focus on the Prevention of Atrial Fibrillation,” as the recipient of this year’s Honorary Fellow of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology award.
Listen
Looking Back on ISPOR 2024: Hot Policy Topics, Welcome Focus on Employers, and More
May 10th 2024Kimberly Westrich, MA, chief strategy officer of the National Pharmaceutical Council, reflects on the most valuable learnings from the 2024 meeting of ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research, including lively discussions of the Inflation Reduction Act and workshops on value assessment.
Read More
Promoting Equity in Public Health: Policy, Investment, and Community Engagement Solutions
June 28th 2022On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Georges C. Benjamin, MD, executive director of the American Public Health Association, on the core takeaways of his keynote session at AHIP 2022 on public health policy and other solutions to promote equitable health and well-being.
Listen
Posters Characterize DMD Caregiver Experiences, Impact of Gene Therapy on Caregiving Demands
May 10th 2024Posters presented at the ISPOR—The Professional Society for Health Economics and Outcomes Research meeting explored Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) caregiver experiences and gene therapy’s impact on work opportunities for caregivers.
Read More
A Focus on Women: AUA Best Posters Highlight Female Athletes, Prenatal Care, and Women in Urology
May 9th 2024Three posters from the American Urological Association (AUA) 2024 Annual Meeting focused on urinary incontinence in female athletes, prenatal care for fetuses with spina bifida in California, and the experiences of women residents at the Brady Urological Institute.
Read More