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Previous Research Symposia

2017 Research Symposium:

Value-Based Health Care: Identifying Benefits for Patients, Providers and Payers

The patient’s evolving role in health care, and how the value of care can be maximized for patients, was the focus for the 7th Annual Research Symposium. With over 18% of our national gross domestic product tied to health care spending, forces are driving U.S. health care toward a payment system that rewards value instead of volume… but value means different things to different stakeholders. The patient perspective is a growing critical concern, and Symposium presenters from health plans, payer organizations and patient groups addressed what patients value in their health care.

Keynote

Alan Balch, PhD, CEO, Patient Advocate Foundation on "Concepts of Health Care Value and Patient Perspectives"

Moderator

Cliff Goodman, PhD, Senior Vice President and Director, Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research, Lewin Group

Supporters

Thank you, sponsors for generous support of this program: Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, National Pharmaceutical Council, Pfizer and IQVIA.

Resources

2016 Research Symposium: 

Balancing Access and Use of Opioid Therapy

Opioid pain therapies and related challenges confronting health plans, prescribers, payers and others were the timely focus of the AMCP Foundation’s 6th Annual Research Symposium. The 2016 Symposium convened on Oct. 3, immediately prior to AMCP Nexus 2016, in National Harbor, Md. Our program objective was to examine the role managed care pharmacy and health plans can – and should – play in addressing this national health care emergency in terms of:

  • Access to appropriate therapy
  • Prescriber perspectives, challenges & responsibilities
  • Opioid use monitoring measures
  • Managed care and health plan initiatives
  • Research gaps and the future of pain treatment.
Keynote

Christopher M. Jones, PharmD, MPH, Director, HHS Division of Science Policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation

Moderator

Brett Norman, Health Policy Editor, POLITICO magazine

Supporters

This program was made possible through support from Alkermes, Inc., Optum, Inc., Purdue Pharma L.P., and Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.  

Resources

2015 Research Symposium:  

Opportunities & Challenges in Patient Care, Prevention, & Adherence

The 5th Annual AMCP Foundation Research Symposium convened experts from the public and private sector on October 26, prior to AMCP Nexus 2015 in Orlando, FL, on innovative ways to take on the chronic disease challenge through prevention.

The program started with the examination of the the landmark report A Prevention Prescription for Improving Health and Health Care in America, which assessed the growing impact of chronic disease treatment on our economy and the health care delivery system. Speakers addressed the importance of medication adherence as it relates to obesity, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. They also examined the historical perspective of treatment management; reviewed what has worked, what has not, and what is needed; and investigate barriers such as plan design, care coordination, and the patient's role in chronic disease care.

Supporters

Sincere appreciation to our program supporters - Amgen, Inc., Eisai, Merck & Co., and Novo Nordisk, Inc. - for their grant support.

Resources

2014 Research Symposium: 

Specialty Pharmacy and Patient Care: Are We at a Tipping Point?

This symposium was conducted on October 6, prior to AMCP Nexus 2014 in Boston, MA. Key issues included a focus on the specialty drug conundrum: why is something so great so expensive? Under pressure to improve outcomes, but also control costs, many payers are employing cost containment tools - such as high copays - that some say have gone too far. Others, including providers and patients, are beginning to question the ROI. Has this focus denied some patients access to "wonder" drugs? Speakers addressed these important questions - from a variety of perspectives, including public policy, the marketplace, ethics and patient care.

The AMCP Foundation would like to thank the following sponsors which provided unrestricted grants to support of the symposium - Amgen, Biogen Idec, National Pharmaceutical Council, and Pfizer, Inc.

Resources

2013 Research Symposium: 

Transplanting European Health Technology Assessment (HTA) to America: What's Wrong with Our Version?

This symposium was held on October 15, prior to AMCP Nexus 2013. The purpose of the program was to:

  • Review current drug evaluation policies and processes in the U.S. and compare to those in Europe.
  • Define key changes in CER, HTA and risk-adjusted contracting and the challenges they create for more robust specialty decision making.
  • Identify barriers to widespread adoption of CER, HTA and Risk-adjusted pricing.
  • Present case studies for audience to consider roles of CER, HTA, risk and outcomes in formulary decision making.
  • Solicit stakeholder recommendations on the quick hits needed to improve CER, HTA, research priorities, risk-arrangements and formulary decision processes.

Symposium supporters included Amgen, Alkermes, AstraZeneca and National Pharmaceutical Council.

2012 Leadership Meeting: 

Improving Patient Care through Research, Practice, and Leadership

This conference, held in San Francisco, Calif. on April 4, was intended as a plan of action for current pharmacy leaders and for those who are passionate about the pharmacy profession. We set out to help advance patient care and health system goals by promoting the unique skill sets offered by pharmacists, and discussing the following topics.

  • How Leadership Has Affected the U.S. Health Care System
  • Health Care Systems and Future Models of Pharmacy Care
  • Improving Patient Care through Leadership

2012 Research Symposium: 

Contemporary Applications for Specialty Pharmacy Research

The 2nd Annual Research Symposium was held October 2 in Cincinnati, Ohio. The theme of this meeting, “Contemporary Applications for Specialty Pharmacy Research,” raised key questions. First, why is the issue of specialty pharmacy so important that it should merit a symposium? Second, what exactly is specialty pharmacy - that is, what differentiates it from traditional pharmacy? 

Our objectives were:

  • To highlight the innovative research initiatives undertaken by AMCP members in specialty pharmaceuticals, particularly with regard to clinical and outcomes management for specialty pharmaceuticals.
  • To understand the potential value of integrated data from multi-payer claims databases, state health insurance exchanges, and payers as the basis for making evidence-based decisions.
  • To understand how the AMCP Format for Formulary Submissions has been updated to address evaluation of specialty pharmaceuticals.
  • To identify what research questions can be answered today with available resources and what gaps must be filled in order to effectively evaluate and manage specialty pharmaceuticals.
Supporters

Unrestricted grant support was received from Amgen, Daiichi-Sankyo, Gilead, Teva Pharmaceuticals and Xcenda.

Research about health care trends that place new demands on the practice of pharmacy continues to be an integral element of the Foundation’s mission. Initiatives like our Annual Research Symposia advance the collective knowledge about how managed care pharmacy impacts patient outcomes.