How digital tools can support the growing demand for specialty pharmacy

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As oncology and immunology treatments become more common, the drugs needed for those therapies are driving a significant increase in specialty medicines. In fact, specialty medications now account for 54% of pharmacy spending, up from 49% in 2018.

A study conducted by in90group Research and sponsored by CitusHealth asked 40 U.S.- and Canada-based specialty pharmacy and specialty infusion leaders about the digital health technology tools they use or plan to use, and how they foresee using technology going forward. Nearly 80% of specialty pharmacies said they have already adopted or plan to adopt digital patient and caregiver support technologies in the next six to 12 months. These organizations are relying on technology to help address challenges, including:

• Communication, refill and delivery coordination
• Adding value for referral partners and manufacturers
• Improving efficacy and patient outcomes
• Using digital communication tools as a competitive differentiator
• Improving patients satisfaction and loyalty with real-time digital communication

Currently, 81% of the survey respondents said they still use the phone as their primary method of patient support and engagement. But these respondents also recognize the need to shift to digital tools, and told us about some of the tools they plan to adopt in the next six to 12 months:

Strong focus on patient experience

Although there’s been a steady increase in adoption of digital patient support tools, most specialty pharmacies realize more work needs to be done. Our survey shows that these organizations believe improvement is needed in several areas, including the ability to provide real-time patient communication, the ability to offer contactless deliveries, and automating refill assessments. Using the right technology has helped many specialty pharmacies improve refill request response and dispensing turnaround times, which enhances the patient experience and helps their staff increase productivity.

Using data to drive growth

Collecting complete patient data is one of the top three drivers of growth for specialty pharmacies, according to the survey. Having this data helps pharmacies prove efficacy and track outcomes, which in turn help them gain access to more limited drug distribution networks, supporting more growth. The continued emphasis on value-based care means the collection, analysis and sharing of data puts specialty pharmacies in a strong position to lead the industry when they have the right technology.

The future of digital patient support

Survey respondents understand that a comprehensive digital patient support platform can help them grow their business through increase patient and physician loyalty, improved manufacturer partnerships and greater access to limited drug distribution networks. To effectively compete and grow your specialty pharmacy, the time to adopt a digital patient support platform is now.