Assessing evidence for MTM quality measure development: a scoping review.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Pharmaceutical Outcomes
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Healthcare quality measures require robust evidence to guide patient care, provider practices, and payer decisions.
• Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services are crucial for optimizing medication use and patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on the association between MTM services and health outcomes.
• To evaluate the evidence base for developing a new quality measure for MTM services.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, searching literature from January 2006 to October 2024.
• Included studies focused on Medicare Part D MTM services, eligibility, and outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries.
• Data extraction and certainty of evidence assessment used a custom tool and the GRADE Evidence to Decision framework.

Main Results:

• Out of 424 screened articles, 27 met inclusion criteria for review.
• Only 6 studies were assessed for certainty of evidence; 22% showed high certainty for risk of bias.
• Certainty for directness, consistency, and precision was low across all reviewed studies.

Conclusions:

• An association between Medicare Part D MTM services and patient outcomes is suggested by the literature.
• The current evidence is insufficient to support the development of a new MTM quality measure.
• Future research employing stronger study designs is recommended to inform MTM quality measure development.