CVS Health's chief medical officer to address National Business Group on Health
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health has announced that Troyen Brennan, EVP and chief medical officer of CVS Health, will speak before the National Business Group on Health in Washington on Friday.
Brennan will outline ways pharmacy care can play a critical role in addressing healthcare cost and quality as the overall healthcare system faces increased stress. After making CVS/pharmacy the first national pharmacy chain to stop selling tobacco in support of the health and wellbeing of its patients and customers, CVS Health is moving aggressively to provide innovative new tools that can assist patients, providers and health plans improve medication adherence and ultimately improve health.
"Medication nonadherence can have a significant impact on patients' health outcomes and it costs the nation's healthcare system nearly $300 billion every year," Brennan stated. "Sadly, one of the most significant challenges is patients often don't take their medications. They forget or they're confused, or they fail to understand why they should be taking them."
Brennan will highlight CVS Health's Pharmacy Advisor program designed to connect pharmacists, healthcare providers and health plans to deliver better care and value by stressing the importance of adherence to prescribed medications. He also will highlight innovations that are continuing to expand CVS Health's adherence program offerings, including packaging designed to help patients manage multiple medications and such digital tools as texting and messaging patients about their medications.
"We can improve adherence and reduce gaps in care by connecting and integrating our interactions with patients, taking advantage of our ability to counsel patients at convenient touch points," Brennan stated.
In his remarks, Brennan also will discuss how CVS Health is working to meet the needs of an evolving healthcare system. He will observe trends in healthcare costs and strategies to manage costs, Medicare and state healthcare budgets, employer-provided insurance and new modes of care delivery. He will examine how the post-recession climate and implementation of the Affordable Care Act are changing health care.
Brennan also will describe the role CVS/minuteclinic plays in the transforming healthcare system by providing accessible, quality, low-cost care. For example, through its clinics, CVS/minuteclinic can help patients with acute ailments or monitor such chronic care for conditions as diabetes and hypertension, working directly with primary care doctors as part of the patient-centered medical home using electronic medical records.
"Connecting consumers into the health care system is our unique capability," Brennan said. "Our MinuteClinics represent one way in which we can effectuate connectivity and integration in the healthcare system."