Medication therapy management is normally performed by a clinical pharmacist. He or she is responsible for helping individual patients to take their medications safely, ensuring that they experience the greatest benefits. A medication therapy manager analyzes dosages, and supervises how often doses are taken, why medications are prescribed, how they interact, and which side effects to guard against. In the medical community, medication therapy management is considered an important practice, especially since studies have shown that the number of negative effects produced by prescription medications can be reduced with proper management.
It is common to find medication therapy management in assisted living situations. Elderly people and individuals with Alzheimer's disease, for example, often need medication therapy managers to ensure that they are taking the proper medications at the correct times. Any patient who takes a number of medications as part of an ongoing treatment can benefit from medication therapy management.
Analysis is an important function of medication therapy management. Before a patient is prescribed a combination of medications, a doctor might consult a pharmacist who understands drug interactions and who also is familiar with the most effective combinations. A medication therapy manager might read patient records to learn about allergies and past reactions to certain medications.
It is also common for medication therapy management to include an educational aspect. Aside from developing treatment guidelines related to medication and monitoring dosages, a medication therapy manager might also help a consumer to understand why he or she is taking certain medications, what the goals of drug therapy are, and which adverse effects he or she can expect. By helping a patient gain a better understanding of his or her medical treatment, a medication therapy manager can enable him or her to engage in treatment, producing better outcomes.
Another common practice in medication therapy management is for a pharmacist to meet with a patient and a doctor who prescribed drugs. These consultations also help consumers to take greater control of their treatments by becoming engaged in processes. They also help medical professionals to make the safest and most effective medication decisions.
For many consumers, medication therapy management is essential, since they may be suffering from several illnesses at one time or taking a number of different medications. When individuals have insurance, therapy management is sometimes covered. It is often assigned its own billing code. In other cases, an insurance company might not consider this service to be essential.