More than a third of patients released from the hospital never fill their discharge prescriptions, but “meds-to-beds” programs can help improve that statistic. That is the approach Renown Health in Reno, Nev., took with the help of its 340B savings. Renown Vice President of Pharmacy Services Adam Porath joins us to describe how this meds-to-beds program improves patient care.
Hospital readmissions down, patient convenience up
Renown Health’s 340B-funded program offers medication to patients who are being discharged from the hospital, either through bedside delivery, pneumatic tube, or a unique discharge lounge. The effort began as a pilot for Medicaid patients in 2016, and it demonstrated patients in the program were 25% less likely to be readmitted to the hospital once discharged. These health improvements plus the added convenience of medication access for patients convinced the system to expand the program.
340B pricing to patients who cannot pay
Porath says Renown Health refers patients who cannot afford discharge medications to its social services team, which can authorize providing the drugs to those patients at the 340B-discounted rate. The team also will work with patients to see if they qualify for coverage such as Medicaid or other programs to reduce their out-of-pocket costs. Porath said Renown’s meds-to-beds program provides drugs free of charge to about 30 patients per month.
The keys to success
Renown Health’s meds-to-beds program has been a success, with more than 80% of eligible patients participating as of the end of 2024. The hospital expanded the services to all patients and started operating it 24/7 in April 2024. Porath said the keys to success include regular reporting to stakeholders and innovations to handle a large volume of patients discharging at once. Such changes allow all parties to stay in the loop with the development of the program and to celebrate successes as they occur.
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