Barry Patel, Pharm.D

Published results that examined clinical profile of extended-release topiramate and compare treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) associated with extended release versus previous immediate-release topiramate (TPM-IR) treatments.

Published results of a study conducted by my company on the influence of quality improvement (QI) education on compliance with physician quality reporting system (PQRS) measures for IBD and measures related to National Quality Strategy (NQS) priorities.

Research has identified critical practice gaps in the management of patients with diabetes, which include defining and meeting glycemic targets, assessing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, blood pressure (BP) screening and control, and nephropathy screening.[NCQA 2012, Peters 2012] The importance of lifestyle changes in patient outcomes also has been frequently cited, and their incorporation into individualized treatment plans has been noted in guidelines.[Garber 2013;… Show more

Research has identified critical practice gaps in the management of patients with diabetes, which include defining and meeting glycemic targets, assessing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, blood pressure (BP) screening and control, and nephropathy screening.[NCQA 2012, Peters 2012] The importance of lifestyle changes in patient outcomes also has been frequently cited, and their incorporation into individualized treatment plans has been noted in guidelines.[Garber 2013; Inzucchi 2012] To address these clinical gaps related to type 2 diabetes (T2D), a multi-partner collaborative, quality improvement (QI) initiative was developed and implemented by:
■ Indegene Total Therapeutic Management (iTTM), a physician-focused QI company that provides health information management, research, and education support to some of the nation’s largest healthcare organizations, determined a performance baseline using patient-level data on how primary care providers (PCPs) manage patients with T2D and used a dual-method, phased assessment to evaluate changes in confidence, knowledge, attitude, and performance as a result of the education
■ CareHere, an employer-based provider group with 125 clinics in 20 states, partnered with iTTM to reach the target audience of PCPs and to ensure longitudinal measurement of program impact
■ Medscape Education, the largest online provider of continuing medical education (CME), implemented the evidence-based and data-driven CME activities for its entire community of healthcare provider (HCP) learners, and evaluated changes in knowledge and competence among activity participants via Linked Learning Assessments Show less

The results of our preliminary pragmatic study indicated that quality improvement education affords the potential to improve adherence to Physician Quality Reporting System quality measures for IBD among low-performing gastroenterologists.

Quality management and improvement are increasingly important to managed care organizations (MCOs) as competition increases. One key area on which quality improvement programs can focus is MCO activity in helping patients remain healthy. Screening for and treatment of hyperlipidemia are important components of the preventive care of patients who are at risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). This article summarizes the methodology of a three-phase hyperlipidemia outcomes management program being… Show more

Quality management and improvement are increasingly important to managed care organizations (MCOs) as competition increases. One key area on which quality improvement programs can focus is MCO activity in helping patients remain healthy. Screening for and treatment of hyperlipidemia are important components of the preventive care of patients who are at risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). This article summarizes the methodology of a three-phase hyperlipidemia outcomes management program being implemented by 27 US health plans. Phase 1 identifies inefficiencies in the clinical management of hyperlipidemia by assessing patients’ attainment rates of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) targets. This information is then used to develop a multifactorial intervention program for CHD prevention in phase 2. The interventions for physicians include provision of treatment algorithms for patients with varying degrees of hyperlipidemia, education programs encouraging appropriate treatment of hyperlipidemia, and academic detailing summarizing phase 1 results and providing applicable literature. In phase 3, patient records are reassessed at least 6 months after the educational intervention. This three-phase program has the potential to improve patient care, reduce unnecessary treatment costs, provide a means of quality improvement, and increase plan value to potential purchasers. Show less