Developing and marketing a community pharmacy-based asthma management program

Area of Science:

• Pharmacoeconomics
• Public Health
• Ambulatory Care

Background:

• Community pharmacies offer accessible healthcare services.
• Asthma management requires continuous patient support and monitoring.
• Integrating disease management programs into community pharmacy practice is feasible.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and market a community pharmacy-based asthma management program.
• To assess the program's impact on patient outcomes and healthcare utilization.
• To evaluate the program's financial viability for the pharmacy and a managed care organization.

Main Methods:

• A structured, stepwise approach was used for program development, testing, delivery, and marketing.
• The program was implemented in an independent community pharmacy setting.
• Outcomes measured included peak expiratory flow rates, quality of life, and healthcare service utilization.

Main Results:

• The pharmacy successfully developed and marketed an asthma management program to a local health maintenance organization (HMO).
• HMO patients in the program showed significant quality of life improvements.
• Healthcare utilization decreased, with a 77% reduction in hospitalizations, 78% in emergency room visits, and 25% in urgent care visits.

Conclusions:

• The community pharmacy-based asthma management program is effective and practical.
• The program represents a profitable service expansion for community pharmacies.
• Successful marketing to a managed care organization (HMO) demonstrates program viability.