Using Data to Improve Health Equity for Pharmacy Members

We're exploring health-equity-focused analytics, engagement and activation to uncover and address health barriers and disparities. Some initiatives include:

• Identifying potential health inequities for members with certain health conditions
• Educating those members about available benefits and resources
• Providing resources that address non-clinical risk factors

Our diabetes medication adherence dashboard layers member-specific clinical pharmacy data with the CDC/ADSTR* Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) on a county level. The SVI uses census data to identify communities most likely in need of support due to factors like poverty, discrimination, and lack of transportation and housing.

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

Optum Savings IQ technology automatically matches every eligible patient with financial assistance, copay cards and other resources that help reduce out-of-pocket therapy costs. Patients don’t need to ask — the technology finds any assistance that the patient is eligible for.

If we can increase the cultural diversity among pharmacists and pharmacy leaders, we can increase and improve care for underserved communities. We’re working to increase this diversity by addressing one of the top barriers: access to funding for graduate pharmacy programs with the Optum Rx Health Equity Scholarship Program.

Community and independent pharmacies and pharmacists are a critical, trusted touch point for people in vulnerable populations. We’re piloting programs with local pharmacies to help people in underserved communities get the resources and services they need. Programs include the Optum Rx Bridge to Healthy Baby and Optum Rx Resource Bridge.