Lahey Health and Dovetail Health have joined forces to drive down medical expense through medication management solutions

NEEDHAM, Mass. and BURLINGTON, Mass., Sept. 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lahey Health and Dovetail Health have partnered to launch a medication management solutions program targeting the 35,000 patients managed through Lahey's Medicare Shared Savings Accountable Care Organization (ACO). 

The program, titled Lahey Health Enhanced Care Program, is targeting the most clinically complex patients within the Lahey Health ACO and engaging them in their home and community to prevent hospital readmissions through medication reconciliation, optimization and education.

To do this, Dovetail Health schedules and sends its specially trained Clinical Pharmacists into the homes of patients identified as high risk, and then continues to manage the patients with a pharmacist-led call center.  These specially trained pharmacists help patients understand what medications they are supposed to be taking and why, help patients remove any barriers to taking medications as prescribed, and ensure that patients are not having any medication side effects.  These pharmacists can also take steps to optimize medication regimens based on patients' medical conditions.  While there is a focus on medications, visiting the patient in their own environment enables the Dovetail Health clinician to evaluate the holistic picture of the patient and their challenges to staying healthy.  These challenges can include their home environment, their social support system, and their level of understanding of other instructions for care from a variety of physicians, among others.  The Dovetail Health team gathers this information, coordinates a care plan tailored to the patient, and shares that plan with the patient, the patient's physicians and other care team members. 

Lahey Health is a leader in patient-centered innovation amid a rapidly changing healthcare delivery landscape.  Lahey's commitment to quality care is evident in their forward-thinking approach to extending the care management team outside of Lahey facilities and engaging patients in their everyday lives.

"We are delighted to collaborate with Lahey Health on this very important initiative.  Lahey Health's position as a healthcare innovator makes them a perfect partner for Dovetail Health's approach and solutions. Dovetail Health engages patients in their homes, extending the first-rate care they receive within the hospital or practice setting into their everyday lives," said Dr. Kevin Ban, Dovetail Health Chief Medical Officer.

About Dovetail Health

Dovetail Health is a technology-driven company that delivers tailored medication management solutions for its clients, engaging patients and providers to improve outcomes and reduce total medical expense.  For more information, visit www.dovetailhealth.com

SOURCE Dovetail Health