January / February 2018
  Volume: 7  Issue: 1    
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In This Issue
Hypertension Intervention Program (HIP)
Over 150 BCBS AQC hypertensive patients and patients with diabetes who have hypertension did not meet the blood pressure health plan target of < 140/90 in 2017.  Given the new 2017 ACC/AHA Hypertension Guidelines recommending a new clinical blood pressure goal of        (< 130/80) for some patients, a Hypertension Intervention Program (HIP) will be impleented this year.  Alison Gustafson NP and Carol Freedman, RPh, BCGP will be collaborating with primary care and specialty providers to identify patients who may need supplemental intervention and follow-up.
The intervention program will focus on the following:
■ BCBS AQC patients not at health plan blood pressure target < 140/90
■ Individualized patient profile approach ( use of risk calculator)
■ Collaboration with providers (PCP & Specialists)
■ Assessment of med adherence/barriers
■ Optimization of lifestyle modification
■ Optimization of pharmacological treatment

An ongoing team-based approach with periodic follow-up and education will be implemented with provider referral and/or approval.  See Population Health in Primary Care for more information on this approach. ACC/AHA, JNC8 Panel and International Society of Hypertension guidelines will be used to individualize Treatment of Hypertension.
Contact Alison Gustafson NP alison.m.gustafson@lahey.org  (call or text 978 882 2454) or Carol Freedman, RPh, BCGP carol.freedman@lahey.org 978 236 1774 for more information
Cover My Med Prior Authorization Website
Cover My Meds is an electronic prior authorization (ePA) webiste that partners with electronic health records (EHRs), payers, pharmacies and providers to initiate, transmit and track the status of PA requests within the clinical workflow. The goal of this PA management system is to help patients more quickly get the medication they need to live healthy lives. The system keeps track of the automated process of exchanging patient health and medication information, allowing providers to initiate PA requests after a rejection at the pharmacy or prospectively in their e-prescribing workflow. The system can also be set up for multiple users within a practice.  See the Cover My Meds website for details.
New Epic Pharmacy Alerts
Epic prescribers and refill colleagues will see some new pharmacy alerts when ordering or refilling specific medications. The alert is a notification providing cost savings alternatives and prescribing information for the medication selected.  An example is the pharmacy alert for the PDE-5 Inhibitor class of medications (e.g. Viagra, Cialis, Levitra etc.) suggesting sildenafil 20 mg tablets as the alternative.  Specifics on dosing and patient instructions are provided within the alert.  In this example, the prescribers are prompted to PRINT the prescription instead of e-prescribing. The PRINTED prescription should be and give to the patient so they can research the lowest cost. Paying CASH for this medication, filling at a pharmacy such as COSTCO or using a Good RX coupon can provide significant savings and more doses for the patient. In this example, non-Epic practices can provide the patient with information about how to save money with the PDE-5 Inhibitor class. 
 
NEPHO Clinical Newsletter
Produced by Northeast Physician Hospital Organization
For more information contact: 
 
Carol Freedman, RPh, MAS, BCGP 
Clinical Pharmacist NEPHO 
978-236-1774
Louis Di Lillo M.D., Northeast PHO Medical Director 

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