Medication therapy management helps SagePlus participants decrease blood pressure

Medication therapy management (MTM) is a hypertension management program offered by pharmacists and other clinic staff who work closely with patients to decrease their blood pressure.

SagePlus participants participated in MTM, offered in collaboration with Hennepin Healthcare in Richfield, Minnesota.

To qualify for medication therapy management services, patients must meet the following criteria:

• Have a blood pressure of 130/80 or greater
• Take one or more medications for hypertension
• Be newly diagnosed as hypertensive and needing intense monitoring
• Have been screened by Sage and SagePlus with forms completed

This collaboration used a team-based approach. The self-named MTM Innovations Team was made up of clinic staff, pharmacists and MDH SagePlus staff. The Medical Director used clinic and MDH data to identify potential candidates to refer to the Program. The medical assistant, a trained Healthy Heart Ambassador, enrolled women into the medication therapy management intervention and taught them at home self-monitoring of blood pressure, provided free BP monitoring devices, and helped participants complete the entrance and exit survey. They also tracked and reported participant progress.

The pharmacist provided one-on-one in person and telehealth visits with clients to review medications and identify the best medication and plan to reduce hypertension. A clinic community health worker provided health coaching, support, and heart health education; ensured that the women had follow-up screens and completed exit surveys; and addressed any barriers women were experiencing.

Participants were required to attend a minimum of three sessions with the pharmacist and three health coaching sessions with two of those being used to complete the entrance and exit survey. Participants could attend up to a maximum of 12 visits, and health coaching sessions as needed. Sessions were generally held every two weeks unless prescribed the by pharmacist to be one month apart. The intervention was to be completed within six months.

Regular meetings helped the team better support women to complete the program and address any issues that came up. One particular challenge was patients not showing up to appointments. After looking into it further, the clinic learned that the individuals did not have transportation. SagePlus can provide transportation for patients, and sessions were successfully rescheduled.

With a tight turnaround time for the program, it was a huge success that 12 out of 15 patients completed the program. The first patient was onboarded to the project in March 2023 and the program ended Sept. 29, 2023, when grant funding ended. MDH credits that success to the wonderful, dedicated, clinic and pharmacy staff involved in the program.

One patient was hospitalized during her cycle for high blood pressure, but after meeting with the pharmacist on a regular basis was able to get her BP under control.

Participants reported that they were grateful for learning about hypertension and how to create goals to control and monitor their blood pressure. A few commented they would love to return to the program as it increased their self-confidence, and they appreciated the respect and help they got from the program and believed they would not have been able to afford the services if it was not for the SagePlus program. The respect and help aspects were critical as it worked to build trust between the clinic and patients who are more apt to continue with the program and respond positively to the education piece when they are treated respectfully. Others commented that they struggled with their blood sugar and the program helped them to take ownership and find ways they can manage it successfully.

Learn more about the SagePlus program.