This smaller solo study was part of a larger initiative with my organization’s pharmacy. They wanted to know how patients experienced management, accessibility, and delivery of pharmaceuticals that are considered “specialty medications.” These are medications that are much less often prescribed and to treat rarer, often chronic conditions. They can also be quite expensive.
Methods
Interviews: I obtained a list of all patients who receive their specialty medications through the hospital’s pharmacy department. I created a randomized sample of 30 patients, whom I then cold-called to request an interview.
This resulted in 9 interviews with patients across the hospital’s service region. Interviews were conducted over the phone, typically lasting about 30 minutes.
Because specialty pharmaceuticals are often associated with complicated and sometimes stigmatized illness, I was able to use my academic interest in social support communication to ensure participants felt safe and comfortable talking to me.
What I learned
Overall, I found that patients were satisfied with the service they received from the organization’s pharmacies, and especially the pharmacists.
Patients had a special appreciation for specialty pharmacists. Pharmacists have scheduled calls to ensure patients are doing well with the medications.
Additionally, patients said the pharmacists got to know them over time and inquired about them as a whole person, which was universally appreciated.
The organization’s delivery service was a convenience for most patients, although some preferred to pick up their medication at a pharmacy so they could talk to their pharmacist in person. The only pain point for delivery was that many patients did not know they could alter delivery schedules to accommodate travel and other life changes.
Most of the barriers patients faced in accessing their medications was related to insurance rather than the organization’s service.
Where things stand
It is always a pleasure when your research finds that users are satisfied with their experience. However, I did make some recommendations to the pharmacy staff for continued success. These are ongoing and part of the larger project of implementing new strategies within the pharmacy department.
- Utilize clinicians to continue promoting the pharmacy’s services, since most patients said they used the organization’s pharmacy at their doctor’s recommendations.
- Work with insurance providers to streamline prior authorization approvals and accessibility of medications for all patients.
- Consider giving patients more options for when and how they receive their regular pharmacist check in calls. Patients don’t like to miss those calls, and a few said they would prefer a text to a phone call.
- Continue to support staffing so that pharmacists are able to spend time with specialty patients, who appreciate the ability to regularly ask questions and have their concerns addressed.
- Let patients know that alterations to their delivery dates and times can be made by calling the specialty pharmacy ahead of time.