New Study Finds Workplace Health Care Significantly Increases Adherence to Medications, Potentially Saving Health Care Dollars and Improving Patient Outcomes

A new study shows that patients who use workplace primary care and pharmacy services have higher adherence rates to medications for chronic conditions, suggesting that by investing in integrated workplace health and pharmacy programs companies can realize health care savings while also improving patient outcomes.

The findings, published in the current issue of the American Journal of Managed Care, show that overall adherence to medication was nearly 10 percent (9.72 percent) higher among patients treated in the workplace than those treated in the community. The authors of the study concluded that due to the negative impact on patients’ health and significant costs associated with non-adherence, these results support the concept of workplace health as a means to save "not only health care dollars, but lives as well.”

"This study truly demonstrates the value of the workplace health care model in addressing medication adherence – one of the most challenging and costly obstacles faced by providers and payers of health care,” said Dr. Sharon Frazee, an author of the study and vice president of health research for Take Care Health Systems. "Having care accessibly located at the worksite allows employees to build a trusted, face-to-face relationship with both their clinicians and pharmacists, providing an opportunity to engage in a dialogue about their condition and treatment plan, and ultimately, promote patient adherence through education and communication.”

Low rates of medication adherence are a growing issue for the country’s health, recently referred to as "America’s other drug problem” by The National Council on Patient Information and Education, and can potentially result in serious negative health outcomes for patients. In fact, a report by the World Health Organization stated that the magnitude of non-adherence and the scope of the pathology related to non-adherence are so alarming, that greater health benefits would result from improving adherence to existing treatments than by developing new medical therapies. Additionally, non-adherence takes an economic toll on national health care spending, currently costing an estimated $100 billion a year.

Despite the existence of employer-sponsored workplace health programs for some time, this was the first study of its kind to examine the relationship between the use of employer health offerings at the worksite and adherence to medications.

"The increased use of generic medications, along with increased adherence, decreases overall medication expense,” said Allan Khoury, MD, Chief Medical Officer for Take Care Health Systems. "This leads to better health at a lower cost. This approach is an important lesson for all of American health care.”

The retrospective study looked at data from the health benefit-covered population from eight different locations of a large employer and included current employees, retirees and dependents. The findings for increased adherence were consistent regardless of medication type, number of days supplied or the location of the worksite. Medications used to treat diabetes, heart arrhythmia, hypertension, heart disease and thyroid disorders were included in the study.

This study was the second study in a two-part series on the value of integrated workplace primary care and pharmacy services. Take Care Health Systems previously authored a study published in the April 2007 Journal for Health and Productivity illustrating that when doctors and pharmacists work closely together in a workplace primary care health center, prescribing practices favor older, first-line antibiotics that produce significant savings and provide important therapeutic benefits. The approach, studied at four onsite facilities of an existing Take Care Health Systems client, translated into an estimated potential $1.5 million in savings on antibiotic prescriptions for the host company over three years.

Authors of the study published in the American Journal of Managed Care include: Bruce Sherman, MD, FCCP, FACOEM, director, health and productivity management, Employers Health Coalition of Ohio; and Take Care Health Systems’ colleagues Sharon Glave Frazee, PhD, vice president of health research; Raymond Fabius, MD, CPE, FACPE, strategic advisor to the president; Rochelle Broome, MD FAAFP, regional medical director; James Manfred, RPh, vice president, pharmacy services; and Jeffery Davis, MBA, health informatics analyst.

About Take Care Health Systems

Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealthsystem.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) and part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and convenient care clinics in the country. TCHS is comprised of Take Care Consumer Solutions (www.takecarehealth.com) and Take Care Health Employer Solutions (www.takecareemployersolutions.com). Take Care Consumer Solutions manages Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens drugstores throughout the country. Patient care at each of the Take Care Clinics is provided by Take Care Health Services, an independently owned state professional corporation established in each market. Take Care Health Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness, occupational health, pharmacy and fitness centers at large employer campuses. Combined, Take Care Health Systems manages more than 700 worksite and retail health care centers.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,902 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems.