UTHSC College of Pharmacy and AdhereHealth Partner to Help Underserved Communities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Jul 07, 2020, 08:30 ET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Pharmacy has partnered with AdhereHealth, a leading medication adherence technology company, to help keep underserved communities healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Student pharmacists are participating in a virtual experience aimed at providing outreach to low-income, elderly, disabled, and high-risk patients with chronic conditions who may be in need of additional support during the outbreak. The Doctor of Pharmacy students deliver virtual assessments to discuss social and economic challenges and offering guidance to patients remotely in an effort to connect them with the resources they need to access health and drug treatments and remain healthy.

Dr. Kenneth Hohmeier, associate professor and director of Community Affairs for the College of Pharmacy, said data shows that those who are suffering the most from COVID-19 in terms of death and morbidity are those in underserved communities.

"Our goal is to create better awareness of the virus and how to stop the spread, while also making sure that chronic conditions are well-controlled through the use of medications, which we know can help improve outcomes and reduce the risk of hospitalization during the outbreak," Hohmeier said.

Jason Z. Rose, CEO of AdhereHealth, said only about half of patients with chronic conditions take their medication as directed, even under normal circumstances. With changes such as quarantines, social distancing, and increased unemployment, nonadherence is likely to get far worse.

"Pharmacists play a critical role in helping to address the crisis, which will in turn save lives – even after the pandemic ends," Rose said. "We're thrilled to support UTHSC College of Pharmacy and get more pharmacists out into the field as quickly as possible."

"This is an amazing opportunity for our students," said Dr. Marie A. Chisholm-Burns, dean at the College of Pharmacy, "and I am proud of their dedication to serving those in underserved communities."

About AdhereHealth™
AdhereHealth is a healthcare technology solutions leader supporting health plans, self-insured employers, and other risk-bearing entities for medication adherence insights and improved healthcare outcomes. The company's Adhere™ platform touches nearly 30 million consumers through advanced technologies and at-risk engagement services. AdhereHealth's subsidiary company, AdhereRx, is a free concierge pharmacy for consumers with high-risk chronic conditions and social determinants of health issues. AdhereRx coordinates complex medication regimens, performs monthly comprehensive medication reviews (CMR) and drug utilization reviews (DUR), has 24/7 access to pharmacy clinicians, delivers prescriptions via a private courier service, supports those in need of financial assistance, and can take cash on delivery at the consumer's home. This integrated set of solutions addresses an estimated half a trillion dollars of unnecessary annual medical costs attributed to medication adherence issues. The company is headquartered in the Nashville suburb of Franklin, Tennessee. For more information, please visit www.adherehealth.com.

As Tennessee's only public, statewide, academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health through education, research, clinical care, and public service, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region. The main campus in Memphis includes six colleges: Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. UTHSC also educates and trains medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and health professions students, as well as medical residents and fellows, at major sites in Knoxville, Chattanooga, and Nashville. For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu. Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/uthsc, Twitter: twitter.com/uthsc, LinkedIn: linkedin.com/uthsc, and Instagram: instagram.com/uthsc.