• Learn the details of a prescriber education and intervention program that increased generic drug utilization, resulting in a three-year savings of $28 million for the Office of Group Benefits (OGB), State of Lousiana. Over three years, a Catalyst Rx clinical pharmacist dedicated to OGB completed about 1,100 visits with top prescribing physicians to review prescribing trends and identify opportunities for generic drug savings. A partnership approach, use of plan-specific data to model generic drug savings potential, and ongoing prescriber education are integral elements of the program.

• Examine a letter-based initiative that increased HIV patient adherence to antiretroviral therapy. MemberHealth LLC, which administers a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan, used pharmacy claims data to identify beneficiaries taking antiretrovirals with a medication possession ratio (MPR) less than 95 percent. Letters were sent to prescribing physicians with patient-specific MPR data, encouraging physician-patient discussion about compliance. Ninety days after the intervention, 46 percent of the targeted health plan members achieved an MPR greater than 95 percent.

• Hear how a Michigan health plan and health care network partnered to implement a regional, cooperative formulary management system that has improved prescribing and lowered costs. Physicians and pharmacists from the Upper Peninsula Health Plan, Upper Peninsula Health Care Network, and 15 network hospitals serve on the regional pharmacy and therapeutics committee. As a result of revised formularies and informed evidence-based prescribing, the health plan's per member per month drug cost decreased 21 percent from 2003 to 2006. Network hospitals saved $381,000 in drug costs in 2007.

She works closely with the Catalyst Rx Client Services Team and clients to assist with clinical strategic plan development and evaluation. She also is responsible for physician and member education programs. Boutte-Smothers has extensive pharmacy experience in retail and hospital settings. She worked as a clinical pharmacy coordinator at McKesson MedManagement where she facilitated the development, implementation and maintenance of systems promoting desirable patient outcomes through safe, cost-effective drug therapies. She also has worked for the PharMerica hospital division as the national director of clinical services where she directed all clinical activities and provided professional and technical guidance to pharmacy personnel. Boutte-Smothers has a doctor of pharmacy degree from Xavier University College of Pharmacy. She is a member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy.

 

Rusti White, RHU, MHP is director of quality assurance and contract management for the Office of Group Benefits (OGB) of the State of Louisiana. She works with each of OGB's health vendors to assure that members receive the best quality of care, and that vendors adhere to all aspects of their contracts. White began her career in the health insurance industry in 1980. From 1980 to 2002, she worked for several large insurance carriers and independent insurance agencies. She joined the OGB in February 2003 as manager of the eligibility department and was promoted a month later to her current position.

 

Jackie Raskind, PharmD is a clinical pharmacist at MemberHealth, a part of the Universal American family of companies. She is responsible for designing and supporting quality improvement activities and disease state management programs, and developing and implementing medication safety programs. She also acts as a liaison to CMS-mandated quality improvement organizations, provides formulary management support, and contributes to network, beneficiary, internal and provider communications. Dr. Raskind has more than 12 years of experience in clinical pharmacist roles. Before joining MemberHealth, she was an ambulatory care pharmacist at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, clinical manager at St. Raphael's Hospital in New Haven, Conn., clinical coordinator in Bridgeport, Conn., and clinical pharmacist at Jacobi Hospital in Bronx, N.Y. Dr. Raskind earmed a bachelor's degree in pharmacy from Schwartz College of Pharmacy and a doctorate in pharmacy from St. John's University. She is a board-certified pharmacotherapy specialist and anticoagulation provider.

 

Sheryl Waudby, MS, RPh is pharmacy director for the Upper Peninsula Health Plan (UPHP). She has been with the health plan since 2003 and has more than 28 years of experience in clinical and administrative pharmacy practice environments. She began her career as a pharmacist for the USPHS Indian Health Service in New Mexico. Waudby works closely with other departments, providers, the pharmacy benefit manager, and regulatory agencies to coordinate, develop and manage the pharmacy benefit division of the health plan. She focuses on monitoring and analyzing industry trends and identifying opportunities to optimize outcomes for UPHP members. Waudby received a bachelor of science in pharmacy from the University of Michigan and master of science in pharmacy from the University of New Mexico, where she was a member of the Rho Chi Society. She is a member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy and American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

 

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