ICDC Legacy

The Assessing outcomes of enhanced Chronic disease Care through patient Education and a value-baSed formulary Study (ACCESS) Trial was a three-year study that  if covering chronic disease prescription costs (specifically heart conditions) for low-income seniors and teaching them about the importance of taking their medication will help seniors live a healthier life.

The results of the study showed that covering medication costs did not make a difference for seniors but did find that providing self-management education (known as Moxie) and a support program made a significant difference in seniors taking their medications. These findings show that giving seniors education and support can help them manage their heart conditions better.

More research is needed to see if it is the education aspect or the support program that makes the biggest difference in medication adherence, as well as how ACCESS would work for the general public who have co-payments for their prescription medication.

For more information please visit the following publications:

Eliminating Medication Copayments for Low-Income Older Adults at High Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Self-Management Support Using Advertising Principles for Older Adults With Low Income at High Cardiovascular Risk: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Assessing outcomes of enhanced chronic disease care through patient education and a value-based formulary study (ACCESS)—study protocol for a 2×2 factorial randomized trial 

Exploring patient and pharmacist perspectives on complex interventions for cardiovascular prevention: A qualitative descriptive process evaluation

Pharmacist and patient perspectives on recruitment strategies for randomized controlled trials: a qualitative analysis

Patient Perspectives on a Tailored Self-Management Education and Support Intervention for Low-Income Seniors With Chronic Health Conditions

Factors Affecting the Reception of Self-Management Health Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey Assessing Perspectives of Lower-Income Seniors with Cardiovascular Conditions

Patients tend to see their pharmacists more than their family doctor, which presents a unique opportunity for patient care and disease management through pharmacy care. The Alberta Vascular Risk Reduction Community Pharmacy Project (RxEACH) was a province-wide heart disease and stroke reduction program where pharmacists worked with at risk patients and their family physicians to provide cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) care. This randomized trial identified a large number of patients with previously unknown kidney disease and showed to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 21% in only 3 months. Pharmacists can play a key role in helping patients manage conditions and risk factors, through care plans, laboratory tests, medication management, cardiovascular risk assessment, education and working closely with physicians. Albertans with heart disease, stroke, diabetes, kidney disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high body weight, low physical activity or who want to quit smoking should consider speaking with their pharmacist.

For more information please visit the following publications:

The Effectiveness of Pharmacist Interventions on Cardiovascular Risk: The Multicenter Randomized Controlled RxEACH Trial

Cardiovascular Risk Reduction and the Community Pharmacist