DES MOINES, Iowa — Kerr Drug has retained its title as the top pharmacy chain in Outcomes Pharmaceutical Health Care’s National MTM Network.

Outcomes Pharmaceutical Health Care, a provider of medication therapy management (MTM) and other health care services, said this week that Kerr has now been named the top pharmacy chain by Outcomes for three consecutive years.

Last year, Kerr pharmacists provided thousands of MTM services to Outcomes-covered patients. In providing the services, the North Carolina drug store chain’s pharmacists documented more than $5 million in estimated cost avoidance (ECA), $2 million more than they had documented in 2008.

"Not only has Kerr Drug continued to lead the way in pharmacist-delivered MTM services, but they have also significantly improved their performance over previous years," Brand Newland, vice president at Outcomes, said in a statement. "While Kerr Drug has been recognized again in 2009, great opportunity exists in 2010. With 30-plus participating health plans utilizing the Outcomes unified MTM platform, the opportunity exists for other pharmacy chain organizations to improve their performance and challenge Kerr Drug this year.”

Des Moines, Iowa-based Outcomes also named eleven top individual MTM centers, including stores from such as chain drug retailers as ShopKo, Peoples and Walgreens. 

As a group, the eleven top pharmacies documented, on average, over $1,300 in ECA per patient, according to Outcomes. To be eligible for selection, a pharmacy must have achieved a "Best in Class" designation from Outcomes while providing a wide range of covered services.