(1009) Syncing Success: Does Medication Packaging and Synchronization Improve Adherence and Patient Satisfaction?

Objectives: BETWEEN 2015 AND 2018, OVER 21% OF THE UNITED STATES POPULATION REPORTED USING THREE OR MORE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS WITHIN A 30-DAY PERIOD, EMPHASIZING THE WIDESPREAD ISSUE OF MEDICATION MANAGEMENT. RECOGNIZING THIS NEED FOR INNOVATIVE STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, MEDICATION SYNCHRONIZATION HAS EMERGED AS A PROMISING APPROACH. BY ALIGNING PRESCRIPTION REFILLS AND PACKAGING SCHEDULES, MEDICATION SYNCHRONIZATION STRIVES TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS OF MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, ULTIMATELY WITH THE HOPE OF ENHANCING PATIENT ADHERENCE. WHILE STUDIES HAVE SHOWN AND PROVEN THAT MEDICATION SYNCHRONIZATION PROGRAMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO INCREASE A PATIENT'S ADHERENCE BY 6-FOLD, THERE ARE VERY LIMITED STUDIES, MOST OF WHICH ARE DONE IN A LONG-TERM HEALTHCARE FACILITY, IN WHICH THEY LOOK AT BOTH MEDICATION SYNCHRONIZATION IN CONJUNCTION WITH MEDICATION PILL PACKAGING. IN ADDITION, THE STUDIES OUT THERE DO NOT LOOK AT A PATIENT’S PROPORTION OF DAYS COVERED SIX MONTHS PRE AND SIX MONTHS POST INITIATING MEDICATION PILL PACKAGING IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE PATIENT’S PERCEPTION OF THEIR ADHERENCE. THESE INNOVATIONS NOT ONLY HAVE TANGIBLE EFFECTS ON MEDICATION ADHERENCE BUT ALSO CAN EMPOWER PATIENTS TO ASSUME AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT, FOSTERING A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT.

1. Analyzing patient perceptions of THEIR MEDICATION TAKING BEHAVIORS through the use of medication synchronization and medication adherence packaging.
2. Assess overall patient satisfaction of an adherence packaging program.
3. Evaluate the improvement in medication adherence, as demonstrated by the proportion of days (PDC) covered.

Methods: DATA COLLECTION BEGAN ON DECEMBER FIRST OF 2023 AND WILL CONCLUDE ON MARCH 30TH OF 2024. A survey instrument THROUGH QUALTRICS XM (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) has been designed to assess the impact of medication synchronization and RapidPak adherence packaging on patient adherence and satisfaction levels. THE SURVEY WILL BE DISTRIBUTED VIA THE PIONEERRX TEXTING SYSTEM OR PHONE CALL TO OUR PATIENTS WHO USE OUR RAPIDPAK MEDICATION PACKAGING. THERE WILL BE FOUR TOTAL TOUCH POINTS WITH THE PATIENT, VIA PHONE CALL OR TEXT MESSAGE. The survey evaluates patient’s views on their MEDICATION TAKING BEHAVIORS, satisfaction with the pharmacy services, and the RapidPak program. EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR THIS STUDY INCLUDE PATIENTS UNWILLING TO TAKE THE SURVEY, PATIENTS NEWLY ENROLLED IN RAPID PAK PACKAGING DURING THE RESEARCH STUDY PERIOD, PATIENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN RAPID PAK BUT NEVER PICKED UP THEIR FIRST RAPIDPAK OR FILLED MEDICATION, AND PATIENTS WHO ARE IN A LONG-TERM CARE FACILITY. PATIENTS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, AS DEFINED BY RECENT STROKE OR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY, DIAGNOSED WITH ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE, OR DEMENTIA, WILL BE IDENTIFIED BY AN ICD10 CODE DIAGNOSIS AND EXCLUDED FROM THE STUDY.

Demographic data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics TO SUMMARIZE KEY FEATURES OF THE STUDY POPULATION. Categorical data, SUCH AS PATIENT SATISFACTION AND MEDICATION PACKAGING TYPES, will be analyzed through Chi-square analysis, while ordinal data will be subjected to appropriate non-parametric tests. SPSS VERSION 29 WILL BE USED TO PERFORM THESE ANALYSES. A significance level of p< 0.05 will be used to establish statistical significance.

Results: In progress.

Conclusions: In progress.