How proactive clinical management halved therapy discontinuations

After reviewing one of our therapy programs, our clinical team identified a concerning trend: a higher-than-expected rate of discontinuations. Patients frequently cited gastrointestinal (GI) upset and unpleasant taste as key reasons they stopped taking the prescribed medication.

In response, the Optum® Frontier Therapies clinicians and program management team proactively partnered with the drug manufacturer to address the issue and implement targeted strategies that would help reduce discontinuation rates.

After analyzing patient-reported outcomes and side-effect data, we proposed a 2-part intervention.

1: Enhance patient education

We updated onboarding protocols to include more robust strategies that addressed GI-specific side effects and ways to manage the bad taste. This helped patients and their caregivers understand what to expect so they could be better prepared from day one.

2. Include a proactive clinician touchpoint

We added a clinician check-in 7 days after the first shipment. A clinician reached out to the patient or their caregiver. Together, they would assess side effects and reinforce mitigation strategies, such as:

• Over-the-counter remedies 
• Hydration tips 
• Dietary adjustments

The rapid implementation of our enhanced clinical protocol delivered meaningful results, demonstrating the power of real-time data, agile infrastructure and patient-focused care. Within just 2 quarters:*

• Patient discontinuations decreased by 50%.
• Patients reported higher confidence in managing side effects. 
• The manufacturer gained real-world insights that informed program evolution.