What predicts medication therapy management completion rates? The role of community pharmacy staff characteristics and beliefs about medication therapy management.

OBJECTIVES: To model the association between pharmacy technicians' attitudes and planned behaviors toward participating in medication therapy management (MTM) and MTM completion rates. Secondary objectives included 1) to compare pharmacy technician and pharmacist attitudes and planned behaviors toward participating in MTM and 2) to identify respondent and pharmacy demographic factors associated with MTM completion rates.

DESIGN: A 27-item survey, adapted from a previously published survey tool based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), was used to collect respondent perceptions of MTM. Study procedures were approved by the institutional review board.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Pharmacy technicians and pharmacists representing 116 Midwestern community pharmacy locations within a national supermarket chain were eligible to complete a telephone survey during February to May 2017.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: MTM completion rates were recorded during the 6-month time frame before survey administration. Unique, nonmeaningful survey codes were used to link responses from respondents to their store's MTM completion rates. Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to model the association between survey responses, pharmacy and staff demographics, and MTM completion rates.

RESULTS: Of the 116 eligible pharmacy technicians and 114 pharmacists, 77 pharmacy technicians and 99 pharmacists completed the survey yielding response rates of 66.4% and 86.8%, respectively. Pharmacy technicians held significantly more positive perceptions about MTM delivery, particularly regarding adequate time and support. However, pharmacy technicians reported having the necessary knowledge and skills significantly less frequently compared with pharmacists. TPB variables for pharmacy technicians were not significant predictors of MTM completion rates. However, pharmacist attitudes, pharmacy technician education, and number of technician hours worked per week were positively associated with MTM completion rates.

CONCLUSION: Pharmacists' attitudes, pharmacy technician level of education, and number of technician hours worked per week were associated with MTM completion rates.