Written Communication From Pharmacy Benefit Managers: Is It Helpful?

Physicians are experiencing greater burnout due to excessive time spent on paperwork. Pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are adding to this problem by sending excessive mail to physicians. This study examined these mailed communications to determine their frequency and if the physician acted upon them. We hypothesized that few of these mailings would be helpful to the physician.

From July 2021 to May 2023, we collected all written communications from PBMs to a single geriatrics outpatient physician. We sorted this information by specific PBM, by communication category, if it resulted in an intervention, and if communications were repeated.

We found that out of 263 communications, 17 (6%) resulted in interventions made by the physician. Notices of nonformulary prescriptions (35%, N=6/17) and drug-drug interactions (35%, N=6/17) (p=0.001) resulted in interventions most frequently. The Beers list notifications did not result in intervention. Forty-one percent (108/263) of communications were repeated, and almost half of these were for recommendations (N=52/108, 48%), a category that did not result in frequent interventions.

Our hypothesis that only a small number of communications were helpful to physicians was supported. A physician will more likely make interventions if the suggestion is regarding a nonformulary prescription or a drug-drug interaction. Interestingly, notification of a medication on the Beers list did not result in a geriatrician's action. Feedback to PBMs on which communications are most helpful may decrease the amount of paperwork received by physicians and aid in combating burnout.