Episode 10: How Do We Know Specialty Pharmacies Are Providing Good Customer Service?

Ray Tancredi, RPh, MBA, CSP, vice president of specialty pharmacy development at Walgreens; Cheryl Allen, BS Pharm, MBA, vice president of business development and industry relations for Diplomat Pharmacy; Nicholas Karalis, RPh, of Elwyn Pharmacy Group; Stacey Ness, PharmD, RPh, CSP, MSCS, AAHIVP, director of specialty clinical services for Managed Healthcare Associates*; and Renee Rayburg, RPh, senior director of clinical consulting at Artemetrx, discuss the services specialty pharmacies provide patients and how their performance can be measured.

Before delving into specific performance measures, Allen described a typical patient experience with a specialty pharmacy, and Karalis explained how specialty pharmacies can enhance the patient experience by performing a thorough benefits investigation.

A variety of performance metrics exist that can help ensure patients are receiving good service from their specialty pharmacies. According to Karalis, some of the patient touch points themselves can function as performance metrics, asking if their experience has been a positive one. In addition, first fill persistency rates and medication possession ratios can be used to assess performance as well. Ness added that patient-reported outcomes, starting with setting specific goals from the start, can help set expectations and assess outcomes. Turnaround time is another measure to determine how well the specialty pharmacy is helping the patient, Tancredi noted, as well as accurate and timely data collection.

*The views expressed are those of the individual alone and not of Managed Health Care Associates, Inc.