Specialty pharmacies are part of the patient care team and play a critical role in providing access and support to patients needing specialty medications for rare and complex diseases. Specialty pharmacies also play an essential role for providers in helping to reduce administrative burden and provide patient resources to help them remain adherent to their therapies. Patients who are prescribed medications for rare and complex diseases require a higher level of patient care and support than the average individual. For this reason, healthcare providers need to have a different level of trust and assurance from their specialty pharmacy partner to ensure their patients have access to the highest level of care and support.
In addition to specialized clinical knowledge of rare diseases and complex condition, there are five key expectations that a provider should have when they are choosing a specialty pharmacy partner.
1. Prior Authorization, Appeal and Reauthorization Support: You should feel comfortable that your specialty pharmacy partner will help expedite the completion of insurance paperwork required for approval and appeal support. Proactive notification and assistance when reauthorizations are required ensure no interruptions in therapy. This enables you to spend less time on paperwork and more time with your patients.
2. Dedicated and Empathetic Care Teams: As a provider, you should feel confident that the specialty pharmacy you choose provides empathetic care from therapy-specific care teams to your patients with services including:
- Proactive communication to physician office and patients/caregivers during the intake process
- Adherence programs to help patients remain adherent to their therapy
- Pharmacists available 24/7
- Nationwide nursing network for infused medications in the home
3. Support in Securing Financial Assistance: Your specialty pharmacy partner should work with you to identify and assist in enrolling your patients into any and all manufacturer co-pay and foundation support programs. These financial assistance programs help minimize the potential financial burden to patients given the high cost of specialty medications.
4. Broad Payer Coverage: Look for a specialty pharmacy provider who is contracted with national and regional health plans, PBMs and a licensed Medicaid provider throughout the United States.
5. National Accreditations: Look for a specialty pharmacy with a long-standing commitment to quality and patient safety. National accreditations to look for include Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), ACHC’s Distinction in Rare Diseases and Orphan Drugs, The Joint Commission, URAC and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).
The services that a specialty pharmacy provides to you and your patients plays a significant role in treating a rare disease and complex condition. Staff members and specialty pharmacists need to focus on the patient’s unique condition and have the knowledge and experience necessary to guide patients through the treatment process.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can partner with Orsini Specialty Pharmacy to provide your patients with the highest level of care, simply click here or the button below to connect with your Orsini representative.