“We believe there is a not-so-distant future when medication non-adherence becomes a far more manageable issue.” – T.J. Griffin, Chief Clinical Officer, PharMerica
As seniors and rural patients face increasing mobility challenges, pharmacy and hospital closures and complex medical regimens, all of that (and more) is becoming the reality for those in value-based care.
- Avoidable utilization
- Rising mortality risk
- Fragmented care delivery
- Weakened performance in value-based models
It’s a no-win reality: seniors facing declining access and outcomes, rural communities left with fewer care options and healthcare organizations asked to deliver better results with fewer touch points and shrinking infrastructure.
Patient isolation and the “last mile” of medication management are where these challenges become system-level risks.
But they also represent a system-level opportunity.
A model built for scale
A new public-private Rural Health Innovation Initiative is focused on delivering pharmacy services, virtual care and medication management directly into homes.
The initiative is driven by Ōmcare, PharMerica , Mayor Alicia Pearson of Lanesboro, Minnesota and the University of Minnesota Center for Healthy Aging and Innovation, all committed to extending care beyond traditional facilities while maintaining quality, continuity and accountability for seniors and rural populations.
Why it matters to you
Key takeaways for value-based care leaders
- Acting now can stabilize rural access. With rural hospitals under financial strain and service lines disappearing, healthcare organizations must proactively extend care into the home to prevent gaps in access and continuity.
- Home-based pharmacy and virtual care are essential. Mobility barriers and medication complexity are driving avoidable utilization. Pharmacy-to-home and virtual care models directly improve adherence and outcomes.
- It’s possible to scale without new facilities. Technology-enabled medication management and remote care allow organizations to expand reach in low-density regions without significant capital investment.
- Connected-care data can be used to drive transformation. In-home care models generate continuous clinical and behavioral data that support early intervention, population health analytics and system-wide improvement.
“What can we do to bring healthcare back to rural America? We know we must approach it differently, and we recognize that change is never easy. For generations, these communities have endured, but endurance alone is not enough. Together, through public-private collaboration, we have the opportunity to make a real difference and improve lives across rural America.” – Lisa Lavin, CEO, Ōmcare
Explore how the Rural Health Innovation Initiative can strengthen your organization’s rural footprint, improve adherence and close the last-mile gap dragging down value-based outcomes.