Assessment of medication adherence and clinical outcomes in diabetes patients After enrollment in a health-system medication assistance program
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Publication Date
4-29-2026
Keywords
oregon, oregon gme
Disciplines
Medical Education
Abstract
Background: Prescription drug cost prices have continued to rise in recent years, putting patients under significant financial pressure. This can result in patients with limited resources being unable to access and afford life-saving medications. Despite the growing need for financial assistance, most health systems do not offer a coordinated medication assistance service to patients. Patients, in these cases, are often forced to “go it alone.” However, accessing drug manufacturer assistance programs requires knowledge about which drugs have assistance programs available, the manufacturers involved, and qualification requirements. In addition, eligibility requirements may differ from one manufacturer to another and can change with little forewarning. The entire process can be very overwhelming for patients who may be sick, elderly, or confused about how to identify what resources are available to them. In response to these challenges, our health-system medication assistance program (MAP) was developed to help patients obtain much needed medication at little to no cost. Our MAP service helps alleviate the financial burden of patients who are struggling to afford their medications due to limited insurance coverage, high copayments, or other financial constraints, thereby playing a critical role in the healthcare safety net. In the case of diabetic patients, our MAP service allows patients, who otherwise cannot afford insulins, GLP-1 agonists, and SLGT-2 inhibitors, access to these medications. This can provide cost savings, increased adherence, and better patient outcomes--saving patients thousands of dollars a year in addition to the glycemic control these medications can provide. Objective: To track adherence and clinical outcomes for diabetes patients enrolled in our MAP program Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis of patients with diabetes was performed for patients enrolled in our health-system MAP program (on MAP medications: insulins, GLP1s, SGLT2s) versus patients who filled antihyperglycemic medication prescriptions before receiving MAP assistance. Modified medication possession ratios (mMPR) were calculated for patients using insulin fill history data to assess adherence. Glycemic control was determined through comparison of A1c values in the electronic health record (EHR) before and after MAP enrollment to assess clinical outcomes. Results: Data analysis for this study is ongoing. ConclusionData analysis for this study is ongoing.
Specialty/Research Institute
Graduate Medical Education
Specialty/Research Institute
Internal Medicine
