Proponent Testimony, SB 141

Proponent Testimony, SB 141

Chairwoman Jones, Vice Chair Lehner, Ranking Minority Member Tavares, and members of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee,

Thank you for the opportunity to provide my support for Senate Bill 141. I am the Director of the Complex Epilepsy Clinic at Nationwide Children’s and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics and Neurology at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. In addition, I am an associate medical director for Partners for Kids (PFK). PFK is a subsidiary of Nationwide Children's Hospital and serves as the primary accountable care organization for most of the Medicaid children in central Ohio. In my practice of epilepsy, medication is essential to the treatment of epilepsy and I have had the opportunity to practice with a pharmacist for many years.

I have seen firsthand how pharmacy can be utilized in such a fashion and where current restrictions hinder healthcare delivery. The pharmacist is essential to our practice in evaluatingcomplexmedication issues and to optimize medication treatment plans. The pharmacist recommends necessary safety monitoring labs and follows up with dose adjustment recommendations after the lab results return. Patients (and physicians) trust pharmacists, and they are well trained. However, pharmacists do not have the ability to independently make recommendations and act on results related to medication issues, which delays healthcare and may lead to increased unnecessary healthcare utilization.

The law revisions outlined in Senate Bill 141 allow for more efficient and effective care. The purpose is not to replace the physician; but to allow the physician to delegate responsibilities to a pharmacist such as ordering labs, making medication adjustments, authorizing medication refills, initiating and discontinuing unsafe or unneeded therapy.

Beyond these improvements in patient care, health care savings may also be realized. For every dollar invested in pharmacist care, $5 in healthcare cost savings are realized for patients and payors. Pharmacists understand insurance formularies and drug costs and can recommend equally safe and effective, yet less expensive therapeutic alternatives.

I urge you to support Senate Bill 141on behalf of all Ohioans. I strongly believe this bill will benefit patients, pharmacists, physicians, and the whole multidisciplinary team. Ohio can yet again serve as a model for others to follow. Thank you once again for the opportunity to present support for Senate Bill 141.

Anup Patel, M.D.

Associate Medical Director Partners for Kids

Associate Director Child Neurology Residency Program

Director Complex Epilepsy Clinic

Assistant Professor Neurology and Pediatrics

Nationwide Children’s Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine

700 Children’s Drive

Columbus, OH 43205

Phone: 614-722-4625