New Quality Program to Improve Prescribing Practices for Seniors

Improving safety in the delivery of prescription drugs for Oklahoma’s Medicare beneficiaries is a new focus for Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality. OFMQ will work one-on-one with doctors and pharmacists to implement evidence-based prescribing guidelines developed in collaboration with participating prescription drug plans, physician societies and other national leaders.

With the Medicare Part D pharmacy benefit that started in January 1, 2006, OFMQ and QIOs throughout the nation are charged with providing expertise in quality improvement efforts related to pharmaceutical care management. OFMQ will help Medicare drug benefit plans and providers develop quality measures; adopt and implement e-prescribing; and develop projects for improved disease-specific therapy, better patient medication self-management, and improved prescribing with a focus on avoidable drugs in the elderly, clinically important drug interactions, and generic prescribing ratios.

“With the rollout of Part D, we are able to better assess current trends in prescription drug use and identify opportunities to improve,” said OFMQ President and CEO Jim Williams. “We are pleased to be able to offer our expertise in data analysis and care process design to help physicians and pharmacists address challenges they may face in their daily work and improve care for Oklahomans.”

OFMQ hired Lesley Maloney, Pharm.D, as Medication Systems Management Specialist to be responsible for the new prescription drug improvement project. Lesley received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy and completed the Executive Residency in Association Management and Leadership at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists in Bethesda, MD. She has lectured at pharmacy meetings, conferences, and symposia across the United States and has worked with groups such as the Institute of Medicine, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, and the Food & Drug Administration. Lesley is a member of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the American Public Health Association.