Introduction: Non-adherence to medications contributes to adverse treatment outcomes, higher morbidity, and additional hospitalizations.1Pill packaging provides a mechanism for patients with polypharmacy to take all medications at designated times.2A meta-analysis in 2014 on the benefit of pill packing revealed adherence to medications increased from 63% to 71%.3This study aims to evaluate the impact of pill packing intervention on health outcomes among obese and high-risk patients.
Method: An in-depth chart review from 2016 to 2018 was performed for each patient at Ochsner MedVantage Clinic (MVC), with forty patients met inclusion criteria. We compared health markers from six (6) months prior to and following the PP intervention. Repeated measure ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.
Result: Statin adherence is 100%. The percentage of MVC patients with controlled blood pressure (BP ≤140/90) increased from 50% before PP to 83% after PP (p < 0.001). Mean values and interquartile ranges of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and body mass index (BMI) all decreased respectively (93 to 81 with p = 0.053, 7.7 to 7.3 with p = 0.109, 33.2 to 32.6 with p = 0.179). The percentage of MVC patients with at least one (1) emergency department (ED) visit in 6 months decreased from 48% before PP to 28% after PP (p < 0.005).
Conclusion: Pill-packing intervention increased medication adherence and improved health outcomes among obese and high-risk patients. There is a significant increase in BP control and reduction in ED utilization.