Drug Utilization Review Board- Vermont Medicaid
Overview of Organization
The Drug Utilization Review Board is Seeking Board Members.
The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) manages the publicly funded benefit programs for the State of Vermont, including the pharmacy benefit programs, and oversees the activities of the Drug Utilization Review Board (DURB). The DURB is composed of prescribers, pharmacists, and other qualified medical professionals that meet approximately every six weeks with a total of seven meetings per year. The meetings are held via a hybrid model consisting of virtual or in-person attendance options.
The meetings typically review:
Drug utilization review and analyses
Review of new drugs, new indications, and dosage forms
Therapeutic class review including recently published treatment guidelines and best practices that may influence clinical criteria
Safety information
Drug information pertinent to managing the drug benefit programs of DVHA for the State of Vermont
The DURB description, meeting schedule and location, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, current members, and contact information can be found at: https://dvha.vermont.gov/advisory-boards/drug-utilization-review-board
For additional information about the Drug Utilization Review Board and recruitment opportunities please email Taylor Robichaud at [email protected]
Mission Area: Healthcare and/or Disease Related (excluding hospitals)
Size of Organization: Over $10M
Position Overview
Those interested in joining the DUR Board shall be licensed and actively practicing physicians, pharmacists, or other qualified medical professionals who prescribe medications.
The DUR Board in Vermont serves a dual function. First, is the drug utilization review component, whereby the Board routinely reviews drug therapy by examining patterns in prescribing, dispensing, and consumption of medications. The Board helps DVHA select the most relevant drugs to target for review to ensure that clinical criteria and prescribing patterns are appropriate. As an outcome of these reviews, the Board identifies specific therapeutic and clinical behaviors that, if altered, may improve patient’s outcomes and lower costs. These activities allow DVHA, with the Board’s guidance, to optimize the pharmaceutical care received by our members.
The second portion of the DUR Board meetings is the “Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee” role of the Board, whereby the Board advises the DVHA on drug coverage guidelines and provides guidance on the development of the Preferred Drug List (PDL), or Drug Formulary, for Medicaid patients. The PDL manages over 180 different therapeutic categories representing thousands of drugs and identifies preferred choices within therapeutic classes including generic alternatives. Within all the categories, there may be drugs or even drug classes that are subject to quantity limits, step edits, prior authorization requirements, or other utilization edits to assure medically appropriate and cost-effective prescribing.
Desired Skills: General Board Governance
Additional Information
Current # of Board Members: 9
Carries liability insurance?: No
Carries D&O liability insurance?: No
Time Expectations: 1 hour
Meeting Frequency: Once a quarter
Meeting Location: Remote
Length of Term (in years): 3
Financial contribution required?: No
Service on committee required?: Yes