PharmaStrategies > Specialty Pharmacies
The Brand Advantaged Program drives drug distribution to our network of Specialty Pharmacies. By leveraging Specialty Pharmacy we increase drug utilization, compliance, and persistence.
We believe that all Specialty Therapeutics should be dispensed from Specialty Pharmacies who provide outstanding patient support with 24/7 help lines staffed by nurses and pharmacists and very knowledgeable and compassionate staff.
• Specialty Pharmacies are geared toward helping patients achieve the best possible clinical outcomes while helping payers hold down costs. A range of specific services make that possible:
• Inventory Availability: Ensuring the immediate availability, continuous supply, and appropriate handling of specialty drugs and related supplies.
• Access to Specialty Pharmacists: Providing 24/7 access to pharmacists with detailed knowledge of the condition being treated, drug side effects, and proper administration methods.
• Compliance Monitoring: Helping patients take their medications consistently, in the right amount and dosage, and for the full length of treatment.
• Nursing and Social Work Support Services: Supporting patients with appropriate levels of education, monitoring, psychological support, and community resourcing.
• Clinical Management of Disease-Specific Programs: Implementing programs tailored to the unique needs of patients with specific diseases.
• Home Nursing Services Coordination: Coordinating nursing services with other care so that patients receive support for on-going home infusion and self-injection in a cost-effective manner.
• Pharmacy and Medical Billing and Reimbursement: Managing billing and reimbursement under both the pharmacy and medical benefit depending on client needs.
• Capabilities Utilization and Formulary Management Support Services: Monitor and supervise the utilization of specialty drugs to minimize wastage, ensure the medical necessity of on-going treatment, and enhance clinical outcomes.
The unique ability to provide the full range of these services is the corner-stone of specialty pharmacy's value proposition. By carefully coordinating these services, Specialty Pharmacies increase the chances that patients will get the greatest benefit from their treatment while also ensuring that resources are used wisely.
*Express Scripts: "Overview of a Specialty Pharmacy"
http://www.express-scripts.com/ourcompany/news/industryreports/specialtytrendreport/2004/overview.pdf
