by Paige Minemyer | Sep 25, 2019 5:00am
CVS is launching a new
pharmacy solution aimed at cutting down the time it takes for patients to
obtain specialty drugs.
The new tool is built
in two parts: Specialty Expedite and Specialty Connect. The former is
designed to cut down the prior authorization and onboarding process
significantly with the goal of reaching a three-day process.
Onboarding for a new
medication can take a long time—sometimes weeks—for some patients, which
can leave them falling off the wagon for needed care, CVS said in a brief on
the new solution.
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If the process is
shorter and easier to follow, patients are more likely to stick with needed
medications, CVS said.
“The process can also
be more time-intensive for the health care system due to increased phone calls,
emails, and faxes to coordinate care and share information among payers,
pharmacy benefit managers, and patients,” Prem Shah, executive vice
president of specialty pharmacy and product innovation for CVS Health, wrote in
the brief.
“These steps are
critical to ensure that patients are receiving the appropriate medication and
that the client’s formulary and plan design are closely followed,” he
said.
In addition, patients
will receive a welcome message through the platform once a prescription has
been submitted. They will receive continued electronic communications about the
status of the prescription throughout the process, also with the goal of
ensuring they stay on their treatment plans, CVS said.
Patients may also feel
“overwhelmed” by a new diagnosis, CVS said, so building those connections from
the beginning is key.
Specialty Connect is
the patient-facing element of the platform, according to CVS. It allows members
to select where and how they want to receive their specialty drugs, be that in
person at a CVS pharmacy or through mail order, as many pharmacies do not
routinely stock these types of products.
Through the
communication tool, patients are also kept up to date on needed insurance
information and financial supports, CVS said. To date, patients using this
prong of the solution are 17.5% more likely to refill their prescription.
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