ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation and the Community Pharmacy Foundation will assess the patient impact from the integration of pharmacy-provided medication management into a medical home network in North Dakota.

The foundations said Wednesday that the Community Pharmacy Foundation will provide $190,000 in matching funds to support ongoing research with North Dakota State University, which is partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and their statewide MediQHomes network, as well as Thrifty White Pharmacy.

Plans call for the project to operate for two years across North Dakota. More than 70% of physicians participate in the state’s medical home program.

"Medications are the primary medical intervention for most patients. Optimizing medication use through medication management services should improve clinical outcomes while reducing medical spend," Phil Burgess, president of the Community Pharmacy Foundation, said in a statement. "We look forward to seeing the outcomes of this important research and its impact on patient care."

Patient-centered medical homes aim to improve patient health, yet they also can help rein in the cost of care, such as in the area of medication adherence. For instance, pharmacist-administered medication therapy management (MTM) programs, such as the North Carolina ChecKmeds program, helped 31,000 seniors optimize their drug therapy for a savings of $34 million, a return on investment of nearly 14 to 1.

According to the National Committee on Quality Assurance, there are now more than 5,000 recognized medical homes nationwide.

"We’re thrilled to join with the Community Pharmacy Foundation on this meaningful research project, which may provide a model for successful interventions around the country, and lead to better outcomes for patients," stated Kathleen Jaeger, president of the NACDS Foundation.