Impact of medication therapy management (MTM) service model on multi-morbidity (MMD) patients with hypertension: a pilot RCT

BACKGROUND: This study explored the impact of MTM service on MMD patients with hypertension. METHODS: A total of 120 MMD inpatients from September to November 2019 were received and randomly divided into intervention group and control group. General services for noninfectious chronic diseases were given to the control group, while a standard MTM service was given to the intervention group. Patients’ blood pressure, EQ-5D utility value, readmission rate, drug-related problems, and average daily medication therapy cost were compared between the two groups and within the groups. This was done at the initial admission phase and in the first, third, sixth, and twelfth months after discharge. RESULTS: The intervention group had significantly lower blood pressure and average daily medication therapy cost 12 months after discharge compared to the control group (systolic blood pressure: P = 0.023, diastolic blood pressure: P < 0.001, average daily medication therapy cost: P = 0.049); the number of DRPs decreased in both groups 12 months after discharge; the number of DRPs solved in the intervention group in the third, sixth and twelfth months after discharge were statistically higher compared with that in the control group (P = 0.013, P = 0.012, P = 0.001); there was no significant difference in the EQ-5D utility value and readmission rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MTM implementation in MMD patients can improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare-related costs among MMD patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR2200065111, date of registration: October 28, 2022. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12877-023-03725-4.