Improved Glaucoma Medication Access Through Pharmacy Partnership: A Single Institution Experience.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Health Services Research
• Pharmacoeconomics

Background:

• Patient out-of-pocket costs are a significant barrier to glaucoma medication adherence.
• The University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) implemented a pilot program to assess medication costs based on insurance coverage.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a collaboration between the glaucoma service and outpatient pharmacy.
• To analyze the effect of a pharmacy-led cost inquiry program on glaucoma medication access.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of glaucoma patients undergoing formulary inquiries.
• Analysis of medication changes, access barriers (prior authorizations, exceptions), and out-of-pocket costs.
• Inquiry period: April 1, 2020, to February 28, 2022, at a single institution.

Main Results:

• 343 formulary inquiries (568 medication inquiries) were analyzed.
• Only 78 (13.7%) medications were affordable without additional steps.
• 445 (78.3%) inquiries resulted in denials or prohibitive costs, even after additional steps.

Conclusions:

• The UCMC workflow improved transparency of out-of-pocket medication costs for glaucoma patients.
• This collaborative model may reduce system burden by improving prescription fulfillment rates.
• Implementing similar physician-pharmacy workflows can mitigate costs and enhance patient care quality.