A pharmacy liaison-patient navigation intervention to reduce inpatient and emergency department utilization among primary care patients in a Medicaid accountable care organization: A pragmatic trial protocol

Objective: To determine whether employing the services of a pharmacy liaison to promote medication adherence (usual care), relative to a pharmacy liaison with training in motivational interviewing and as a patient navigator who systematically screens for health-related social needs and provides targeted navigation services to connect patients with appropriate community resources in partnership with a community-based organization (enhanced usual care), will reduce inpatient hospital admissions and emergency department visits among patients who are members of a Medicaid ACO and receive primary care at a large urban safety-net hospital. Background: Prior studies have demonstrated only modest effects in reducing utilization among safety-net patient populations. Interventions that address health-related social needs have the potential to reduce utilization in these populations. Design/Methods: Assignment to treatment condition is by medical record number (odd vs. even) and is unblinded (NCT03919084). Adults age 18–64 within the 3rd to 10th percentile for health care utilization and cost among Medicaid Accountable Care Organization membership attending a primary care visit in the general internal medicine practice at Boston Medical Center enrolled. Discussion: Our study will advance the field in two ways: 1) by providing evidence about the effectiveness of pharmacy liaisons who also function as patient navigators; and 2) by de-implementing patient navigators. Patients in the enhanced usual care arm will no longer receive the services of a clinic-based patient navigator. In addition, our study includes a novel collaboration with a community-based organization, and focuses on an intermediate-cost patient population, rather than the most costly patient population.