Impact of an online prescription management account on medication adherence

To assess medication adherence rates of patients utilizing an online prescription management account compared with nonusers.

A retrospective analysis was conducted using de-identified pharmacy claims data from a pharmacy benefit manager covering the period from April 1, 2009, to March 31, 2011. Patients who were continuously eligible throughout the study period and that had at least 1 prescription fill for any of the 8 therapeutic groups examined in the study were selected for inclusion.

Adherence was assessed by measuring the proportion of days covered (PDC). Propensity score matching was utilized to minimize differences in age, gender, chronic condition score, copay, household income, and urban locality between the users and nonusers groups. Results were reported for all therapeutic groups combined, as well as by individual therapeutic group.

Overall, patients utilizing the online account had a significantly higher weighted average PDC (73.19% vs 61.64%, P <.0001). Users also had a higher average PDC for each individual therapeutic group, although the beta-blocker group was not statistically significant. The percentage of patients achieving an average PDC of >80% was also found to be greater in the users group across each therapeutic group and overall.

Patients who utilized an online prescription management account had higher rates of medication adherence as compared with nonusers. Additional studies are needed to assess which specific components of the prescription management account have the biggest impact on adherence.