CVS Health Research Institute releases new study showing interventions based on patient populations can save costs

The CVS Health Research Institute this week released the findings of a new study showing that it is extremely cost-efficient to intervene in order to increase medication adherence in patients suffering from common chronic conditions.

The study, which was published in The American Journal of Managed Care, also shows a more substantial opportunity to save on costs by focusing medication adherence resources on patients who have three or more chronic co-morbidities. This includes hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. The study shows that approximately $38 million to $63 million could be saved per 100,000 members by centering the focus of resources on this particular patient population.

"There is extensive evidence supporting the relationship between better adherence, improved health outcomes and reduced health care costs, but efforts to improve medication adherence, while effective, can be costly," CVS Health CMO Dr. Troyen A. Brennan said. "We are now trying to better understand how to maximize health care resources to have the greatest impact on adherence and provide the maximum benefit for payers and patients. This research indicates that targeting adherence interventions to patients based upon their adherence history and co-morbidities would result in greater cost-savings and a better use of health care resources."