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Medication AdherenceI-COMPLYNCT04236817

Impact on Patient COmpliance With Medication Using Pre-packaged Blisters for Long-term Medical therapY

A study testing Pre-packed blisters for distribution of medications and Routine distribution of medications in people with Medication Adherence and Medication Compliance, run by The Cleveland Clinic.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The use of packaging interventions like pillboxes or blister packs has been shown to significantly improve medication adherence. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of home-delivered pill packs on medication adherence in a low-income population. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Medication Adherence, Medication Compliance
What is being tested?
Pre-packed blisters for distribution of medications and Routine distribution of medications
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
114 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
1 Jan 2015to 30 May 2015
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age of 18 years or older
  • Covered by Medicaid insurance
  • Seen in clinic at least two times within the past year, follow-up appointment scheduled between January and May 2015
  • Prescribed a minimum of four medications daily

Who cannot join

  • Nursing home patients
  • Patients with planned hospital stays during the study period
  • Patients who were already receiving medications in pre-packed blisters or pill packs prior to study enrollment

About this study

The use of packaging interventions like pillboxes or blister packs has been shown to significantly improve medication adherence. The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of home-delivered pill packs on medication adherence in a low-income population. This is an open-lab randomized controlled trial taking four or more medication doses daily, randomized either to the intervention group or the control group. Patients in the intervention group received prescriptions pre-packaged in individual packets that were delivered by the pharmacy. Patients in the control group continued to receive medications from pharmacies as they did prior to enrollment. The primary outcome was the percentage of missed pills in the intervention group versus the control group after four months of enrollment.

Read the detailed description

For patients in the study group, new prescriptions with three refills were electronically scripted to local compliance packaging pharmacy, ExactCare pharmacy, LLC, Valley View, Ohio, 44125. ExactCare is a local packaging pharmacy that pre-packs medications for patients so that each day's medications come in a separate paper compartment that can be discarded after daily use. They also deliver medications to the patients' homes. At the initiation of the study, ExactCare provided medications in pill packs for all patient medications in a 30-day supply (Figure 2). Pill bottle medications were provided for medications that would run out prior to the initial supply date. Inhalers, nebulizers, injectable medications, as needed medications and medications that required frequent dose changes were not included in the pill packs but were sent separately within the 30-day supply box.

If the patient was started on a new medication by their PCP, the local compliance packaging pharmacy packed this medication in pill packs for the next 30-day box supply and sent pill bottles containing enough pills to last the patient till the next 30-day box. Every pill in the pill pack was coded with an identification number. If the patient's physician discontinued or changed the dose of any medication, the patient was advised to remove the pill from the pack using its identification number and either discard it or make the dose change accordingly.

A study investigator counted the pills left in the control group prior to the study start date. After the study start date, patients in the control group continued to receive their medications the same way they were getting them before being enrolled in this study using either electronic or printed prescriptions. They received instructions about the timing and frequency of medication administration from their physicians and nurses, and picked up their medications from their local pharmacy.

Patients from both groups had a follow-up PCP visit approximately four months from enrollment. Patients received telephone calls prior to their follow-up appointments to remind them to bring their medications from home. During the appointment, the study investigator counted the medications remaining in the pill packs for the study group patients and the pills remaining in pill bottles for the control group patients.

ExactCare provided the initial start date for each patient receiving their pill packs in 30-day supply. Refill dates were accessed from local pharmacies and the EMR for patients in the control group. This information was used to calculate the number of pills expected to remain with each patient at the end of the study and to compare to the actual number of pills remaining. New medications, discontinued medications, and modified-dose medications were not included in the study analysis.

Being tested
Pre-packed blisters for distribution of medications, Routine distribution of medications
Keywords
Medication Adherence, Medication compliance, Pill-packaging
Medical subject headings
Medication Adherence

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Pre-packed blisters for distribution of medicationsBehavioural

  • Routine distribution of medicationsBehavioural

Study groups in NCT04236817
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Pre-packed blisters for distribution of medicationsExperimentalPatients in the intervention group received prescriptions pre-packaged in individual packets that were delivered by the pharmacy.
Receives: Behavioral: Pre-packed blisters for distribution of medications
Routine distribution of medicationsPlacebo comparatorPatients in the control group continued to receive medications from pharmacies as they did prior to enrollment.
Receives: Behavioral: Routine distribution of medications

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Percentage of missed pills

    The primary outcome was the percentage of missed pills in the intervention group versus the control group after four months of enrollment.

    Measured: 4 month follow-up

Secondary outcomes (1)
  1. Percentage of missed doses

    The secondary outcome was the number of daily doses missed.

    Measured: 4 month follow-up

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Jan 2020
  2. Study start1 Jan 2015
  3. Primary completion30 May 2015
  4. Study completion30 May 2015

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Open label randomized controlled trial. The patient population included 114 patients, followed by primary care physicians at the Cleveland Clinic Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center, taking four or more medication doses daily. They were randomized either to the intervention group or the control group. Patients in the intervention group received prescriptions pre-packaged in individual packets that were delivered by the pharmacy. Patients in the control group continued to receive medications from pharmacies as they did prior to enrollment. The primary outcome was the percentage of missed pills in the intervention group versus the control group after four months of enrollment. The secondary outcome was the number of daily doses missed. The number and percentages of missed pills for each subject was calculated and summarized by group. The primary analysis compared the mean percentage of missed pills between the two groups using t-test analysis.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
114 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT04236817
Sponsor's protocol ID
14-1554
Acronym
I-COMPLY
Status last verified
Jul 2023
First submitted
19 Dec 2019
Last updated
19 Jul 2023
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Ward BW, Schiller JS, Goodman RA. Multiple chronic conditions among US adults: a 2012 update. Prev Chronic Dis. 2014 Apr 17;11:E62. doi: 10.5888/pcd11.130389.

    PubMed 24742395
  • Ward BW, Schiller JS. Prevalence of multiple chronic conditions among US adults: estimates from the National Health Interview Survey, 2010. Prev Chronic Dis. 2013 Apr 25;10:E65. doi: 10.5888/pcd10.120203.

    PubMed 23618545
  • Blazing MA, Giugliano RP, Cannon CP, Musliner TA, Tershakovec AM, White JA, Reist C, McCagg A, Braunwald E, Califf RM. Evaluating cardiovascular event reduction with ezetimibe as an adjunct to simvastatin in 18,144 patients after acute coronary syndromes: final baseline characteristics of the IMPROVE-IT study population. Am Heart J. 2014 Aug;168(2):205-12.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.ahj.2014.05.004. Epub 2014 May 15.

    PubMed 25066560
  • A Randomized Trial of Intensive versus Standard Blood-Pressure Control. N Engl J Med. 2017 Dec 21;377(25):2506. doi: 10.1056/NEJMx170008. No abstract available.

    PubMed 29262284
  • Sabatine MS, Giugliano RP, Wiviott SD, Raal FJ, Blom DJ, Robinson J, Ballantyne CM, Somaratne R, Legg J, Wasserman SM, Scott R, Koren MJ, Stein EA; Open-Label Study of Long-Term Evaluation against LDL Cholesterol (OSLER) Investigators. Efficacy and safety of evolocumab in reducing lipids and cardiovascular events. N Engl J Med. 2015 Apr 16;372(16):1500-9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1500858. Epub 2015 Mar 15.

    PubMed 25773607
  • Pasina L, Brucato AL, Falcone C, Cucchi E, Bresciani A, Sottocorno M, Taddei GC, Casati M, Franchi C, Djade CD, Nobili A. Medication non-adherence among elderly patients newly discharged and receiving polypharmacy. Drugs Aging. 2014 Apr;31(4):283-9. doi: 10.1007/s40266-014-0163-7.

    PubMed 24604085
  • Marcum ZA, Gellad WF. Medication adherence to multidrug regimens. Clin Geriatr Med. 2012 May;28(2):287-300. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2012.01.008.

    PubMed 22500544
  • Conn VS, Ruppar TM, Chan KC, Dunbar-Jacob J, Pepper GA, De Geest S. Packaging interventions to increase medication adherence: systematic review and meta-analysis. Curr Med Res Opin. 2015 Jan;31(1):145-60. doi: 10.1185/03007995.2014.978939. Epub 2014 Nov 4.

    PubMed 25333709
  • Osterberg L, Blaschke T. Adherence to medication. N Engl J Med. 2005 Aug 4;353(5):487-97. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra050100. No abstract available.

    PubMed 16079372
  • Ritchey M, Chang A, Powers C, Loustalot F, Schieb L, Ketcham M, Durthaler J, Hong Y. Vital Signs: Disparities in Antihypertensive Medication Nonadherence Among Medicare Part D Beneficiaries - United States, 2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Sep 16;65(36):967-76. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6536e1.

    PubMed 27632693
  • Viswanathan M, Golin CE, Jones CD, Ashok M, Blalock SJ, Wines RC, Coker-Schwimmer EJ, Rosen DL, Sista P, Lohr KN. Interventions to improve adherence to self-administered medications for chronic diseases in the United States: a systematic review. Ann Intern Med. 2012 Dec 4;157(11):785-95. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-157-11-201212040-00538.

    PubMed 22964778
  • Stuart B, Davidoff A, Lopert R, Shaffer T, Samantha Shoemaker J, Lloyd J. Does medication adherence lower Medicare spending among beneficiaries with diabetes? Health Serv Res. 2011 Aug;46(4):1180-99. doi: 10.1111/j.1475-6773.2011.01250.x. Epub 2011 Mar 17.

    PubMed 21413981
  • Stuart BC, Dai M, Xu J, Loh FH, S Dougherty J. Does good medication adherence really save payers money? Med Care. 2015 Jun;53(6):517-23. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000000360.

    PubMed 25961659
  • Wroe AL. Intentional and unintentional nonadherence: a study of decision making. J Behav Med. 2002 Aug;25(4):355-72. doi: 10.1023/a:1015866415552.

    PubMed 12136497
  • Gerber BS, Cho YI, Arozullah AM, Lee SY. Racial differences in medication adherence: A cross-sectional study of Medicare enrollees. Am J Geriatr Pharmacother. 2010 Apr;8(2):136-45. doi: 10.1016/j.amjopharm.2010.03.002.

    PubMed 20439063

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Pre-packed blisters for distribution of medications and Routine distribution of medications in people with Medication Adherence and Medication Compliance, run by The Cleveland Clinic.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Jul 2023. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Percentage of missed pills (time frame: 4 month follow-up). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04236817, which also lists 24 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 19 Jul 2023.

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