San Diego, CA – Clinical interventions performed in conjunction with laboratory quantitative drug testing and monitoring were shown to reduce utilization of high risk medications in injured workers on chronic opioid therapy, according to a clinical study released by the merged entity of Progressive Medical and PMSI, in partnership with Millennium Laboratories. The study showed a decrease in all measures of utilization, driven primarily by opioids (a 32 percent decrease) and benzodiazepines (a 51 percent decrease), as well as a 26 percent reduction in total utilization of all medications, regardless of drug class.
“There has been an increased national awareness of opioid use over the past several years due to the fraud, abuse, addiction, and cost associated with these medications,” said Matthew Foster, PharmD, clinical pharmacy manager for Progressive Medical/PMSI. “Our study measured the impact of laboratory quantitative drug testing and monitoring on injured workers using high risk medications, such as opioids and benzodiazepines.”
Dr. Foster and Brooke Mueller, PharmD from Progressive Medical/PMSI identified more than 100 injured workers in need of additional clinical oversight based on laboratory quantitative urine drug test results that were deemed inconsistent compared to the therapeutic regimen reported by the prescribing physician. Mueller and Foster used workers’ compensation prescription history and clinical expertise to interpret the laboratory results, provided by Millennium Laboratories, and recommend appropriate interventions to the prescriber.
Prescriptions covered by the workers’ compensation insurer were evaluated to determine change in utilization and other specific risk factors. Among the risk factors evaluated were morphine equivalency dosing (MED), number of prescribers, number of drug classes, and number of opioids. In addition to the decrease in utilization of opioids, the study also showed a reduction in the average MED, from 123.3 mg to 83.3 mg, after six months. The total percentage of claimants in the study with a daily MED less than 120 mg increased from 65 percent to 77.7 percent.
“This study shows the value of medication monitoring and quantitative drug detection services in helping to identify injured workers potentially at risk for addiction and to enable early intervention,” said Lemay Rodriguez, director of corporate accounts for managed care at Millennium Laboratories. “Millennium is pleased to work with Progressive Medical and PMSI as it demonstrates the value of pairing clinical expertise to gain additional insights that help in improving outcomes for injured workers and payers.”
For more information click here to view the poster (PDF)
Source: Millenium Labs