The MTM (Medication Therapy Management) Project

          Thailand is approaching aging society concurrent with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension or dyslipidemia which is a critical situation worldwide. These NCDs need to be controlled by life-long medication along with maintaining healthy lifestyles. Patients need to comply well with their medication treatment plans designed by physicians, to consume healthy diets and to do regular exercise. However, nearly 80% of them cannot take their medications properly due to various misunderstandings, and education by health care providers is thus required.

          Community pharmacists are basically the primary health care providers who can prompt to identify medication and behavioral problems of patients with NCDs. Osotsala is aware of the serious impact of these problems and has provided a service called Medication Therapy Management or MTM project. The project is aimed to help patients with NCDs achieve their treatment goals which can prevent worsening symptoms and other complications from uncontrolled diseases. The subjects of this MTM project include patients who come to receive a service at the Osotsala building and those who receive home-health care (HHC) service by the Osotsala team. The subjects’ health behaviors and medications are thoroughly reviewed by the pharmacists. Any improper health behaviors and medications or drug related problems (DRPs) detected will be corrected accordingly. The individualized pharmaceutical care plan has also been developed to solve DRPs and to improve their health behaviors.

Results

1.  Synopsis of MTM Results (1 October 2020 – 30 June 2021)

2.  Descriptive Statistics of MTM: Drug-Related Problems (DRPs)

3.  Descriptive Statistics of MTM: Improper Health Behaviors

The Smoking Cessation Project

          Cigarette smoking not only destroys the health of smokers but can also be harmful to surrounding people. Moreover, smoking costs a lot to the smokers themselves and is a burden to the national budget on health care owing to numerous diseases related with it. Quitting smoking is very difficult due to the highly addictive substance nicotine. Most smokers need help from health care providers to quit smoking successfully. Addressing those who need this help is an important duty of community pharmacists since it can reduce morbidity and mortality related to smoking as well as the relevant cost.

          Osotsala is well aware of this important duty. Therefore, the Osotsala team is ready to help smokers who want to quit smoking. However, due to the difficulty in quitting smoking, some medications, such as nicotine replacement patches or gums or oral tablets for smoking cessation, are needed to alleviate nicotine withdrawal symptoms. Well-trained community pharmacists can design the best treatment regimen along with adequate psychosocial support for individual smokers.

Synopsis of the Results (1 October 2020 – 30 June 2021)