Antiretroviral therapy adherence, medication use, and health care costs during 3 years of a community pharmacy medication therapy management program for Medi-Cal beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS.

Background: The types of pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM) services provided to patients with human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and the effects of MTM on medication adherence and patient outcomes have only recently begun to be studied. Although available studies suggest that patients receiving MTM services have better antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and outcomes, only 1 study has examined a large group of patients with HIV/AIDS, and none has examined adherence or outcomes for more than 1 year. A pilot program conducted by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program) provided an opportunity to examine ART adherence and outcomes in a large patient population receiving MTM services in community pharmacies over 3 years.

Evaluation of the first year of a pilot program in community pharmacy: HIV/AIDS medication therapy management for Medi-Cal beneficiaries.

Background: The advent of combined antiretroviral therapy (ART) has increased treatment effectiveness but created new challenges for patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and for community pharmacists managing patients' drug therapy. The ability of pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM) services to increase medication adherence, improve health outcomes, and reduce overall medical costs has been demonstrated in community pharmacies for chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. However, the effectiveness of pharmacist-provided MTM services in HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) has not been well studied.