Prevalence of drug-related problems and cost-savings opportunities in medicaid high utilizers identified by a pharmacist-run drug regimen review center.

Background: Despite numerous reports of state Medicaid drug utilization review (DUR) programs, little data are available about the prevalence of drugrelated problems (DRPs) in Medicaid patients. A university-based, pharmacist-run DUR program for high utilizers was created as an alternative to imposition of a statutory limit of 7 medications per month in the Utah Medicaid program in 2002. The DUR program was designed to suggest ways that high-utilizing patients could decrease their total number of medications to 7 or fewer prior to imposition of the 7-medication limit at some time in the future.