Consolidated Portland, Maine Healthcare Market Will Hamper Pharmaceutical Reps' Access to Physicians

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 2, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that provider consolidation and a shift toward coordinated patient care in Portland, Maine pose significant challenges for pharmaceutical companies. According to the Portland, Maine Market Overview, providers in the Portland market are gravitating toward coordinated care models such as patient-centered medical homes and accountable care organizations, which will present challenges to pharmaceutical companies as integrated systems push hard to lower costs and improve outcomes, leading to a higher use of generics. Additionally, as physicians become increasingly integrated with health systems, pharmaceutical rep access to providers could be hampered.

However, the report finds that this consolidated approach will work in favor of health plans, as cost and efficiency are emphasized. Health systems in the market have shown their willingness to develop models of patient care that emphasize coordination between providers, efficiency and cost control, and will continue through the creation of patient-centered medical homes and accountable care organizations. The region's largest health system, MaineHealth, is already implementing some of these measures to reduce costs and continues to push for further integration.

"The highly consolidated market means that pharmaceutical reps should watch for closer alignment with hospitals and physicians to complicate access," says Lyda Phillips, market analyst with HealthLeaders-InterStudy. "In addition, the development of coordinated care models that emphasize cost-efficiency will lead to higher volumes of generic prescription drugs, forcing branded prescription drugs to demonstrate their cost-effectiveness."

In addition to providing detailed analysis of how the healthcare market is integrating, the Portland, Maine Market Overview provides local-level insights about:

• The state preparing to bid out its MaineCare Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program and other subsidized insurance plans to managed care organizations
• The economic climate in Maine, made worse by inadequately funded Medicaid reimbursements
• The Maine Health Management Coalition, which brings employers and providers together to design optimal payment structures and patient care options to improve outcomes and reduce costs

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SOURCE HealthLeaders-InterStudy