Telehealth Intervention to Improve Uptake of Evidence-Based Medications among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Failure or Cardiovascular Disease

Introduction: Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1) agonists are recommended for patients with type two diabetes (T2D) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) or heart failure (HF) to reduce cardiovascular-related mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate a telehealth targeted medication review (TMR) program to identify patients for uptake of these evidence-based medications. Methods: This was an observational descriptive study of a TMR program for Medicare-enrolled, Medication Therapy Management-eligible patients in one insurance plan. Prescription claims and patient interviews identified individuals who would benefit from SGLT-2 inhibitors or GLP-1 agonists. Facsimiles were sent to providers of patients with educational information about the targeted medications. Descriptive statistics described characteristics and proportion of patients prescribed targeted medications after 120 days. Bivariate statistical tests evaluated associations between age, sex, number of medications, number of providers, and poverty level with adoption of targeted medications. Results: A total of 1106 of 1127 had a facsimile sent to their provider after a conversation with the patient. Among patients with a provider facsimile, 69 (6%) patients filled a prescription for a targeted medication after 120 days. There was a significant difference in age between individuals who started a targeted medication (67 ± 10 years) compared with patients who did not (71 ± 10 years) (p = 0.001). Conclusions: A TMR efficiently identified patients with T2D and ASCVD or HF who would benefit from evidence-based medications. Although younger patients were more likely to receive these medications, the overall uptake of these medications within four months of the intervention was lower than expected.