Making sure every patient benefits from the best practices

Medical literature includes a wealth of evidence-based "best practices" for the treatment of many of the diseases and conditions that affect the elderly, but in actual practice, there is wide disparity in the treatments offered to patients. Underdiagnosis and undertreatment are common. At the same time, recent studies have indicated that therapeutic failures and adverse outcomes associated with medications cost the U.S. healthcare system in excess of $177 billion annually. These costs also define decreased quality of life, because they mean unnecessary hospitalizations, more physician visits and increased diagnostic costs.

Omnicare now offers a number of clinical programs targeted at some of the most prevalent diseases of the elderly:

• Alzheimer's/Early Dementia
• Behavior Management in Dementia
• Chronic Kidney Disease
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Heart Failure/Cardiovascular Disease
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Hypertension
• Immunization
• Osteoporosis/Fracture Prevention/Fall Risk Management
• Pain Management
• Polypharmacy
• Stroke Prevention/Atrial Fibrillation

Omnicare Consultant Pharmacists, aided by a comprehensive system employing information technology and clinical "best practices," work with physicians to identify patients at risk for a given disease state and ensure that optimal drug therapy is received and unnecessary healthcare expenditures are eliminated.