The Situation
The patient, a 32-year-old male, was prescribed Stelara injections every 6 weeks to manage his Crohn’s Disease. EmpiRx Health’s Population Health Management engine identified that this dosage exceeded the FDA-approved guidelines, which could exacerbate potential side effects and increase the likelihood of infection.
The Intervention
Our Clinical Pharmacist assessed the patient’s condition to determine a safe and appropriate dosage and engaged the prescribing physician to recommend that the patient receive injections every eight weeks. The prescriber agreed that this dose was clinically appropriate for the patient, and the adjustment was made. The patient’s condition was well-managed with the proper dosage.
Results Matter:
By identifying that the original prescription exceeded the FDA-recommended dosing and recommending a safer dosage, we were able to prevent potentially serious adverse reactions and eliminate wasteful spending:
- Original Prescription: Stelara Injection 90mg/ml, every 6 weeks
- Clinical Recommendation: Stelara Injection 90mg/ml, every 8 weeks
- Clinical Savings: $53,179 annual plan savings from this single clinical intervention
The Takeaway:
Pharmacists play a critical role in keeping patients safe and preventing adverse reactions; they can quickly identify and remedy unsafe or wasteful prescribing that physicians or other care providers are not trained to identify. Ensuring Pharmacists are a vital part of multidisciplinary care teams is critical to ensuring patient safety, mitigating adverse consequences, and optimizing health outcomes.
