Implementation of a novel framework for hepatitis C diagnosis and treatment in an academic health system.

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Comparison of time to treatment initiation of specialty medications between an integrated health system specialty pharmacy and external specialty pharmacies.

Background: Specialty medications are commonly dispensed through specialty pharmacies equipped to meet unique monitoring and dispensing requirements. Integrated health system specialty pharmacies (HSSPs) coordinate with health system providers to deliver specialty medications to patients and ameliorate barriers to care. However, payors may restrict specialty medication fills to specialty pharmacies external to the health system, potentially leading to delayed treatment.

Low rates of primary medication nonadherence in patients prescribed oral oncology agents across health system specialty pharmacies.

New oral oncology medications bring novel challenges when patients are initiating treatment. Rates of primary medication nonadherence (PMN), the rate at which a medication is prescribed but not obtained, of up to 30% have been reported for oral oncology medications. More research is needed to identify causes and develop strategies for health system specialty pharmacies (HSSPs) to improve cancer treatment initiation rates.

Effect on medication adherence of applying a specialty pharmacy care model to nonspecialty medications: A quasi-experimental cohort study.

Purpose: Medication nonadherence is a multifactorial healthcare problem that contributes to increased healthcare costs and morbidity. To improve medication adherence, specialty pharmacies offer services not typically provided by retail pharmacies such as benefits investigation, financial assistance, medication synchronization, and proactive refill reminders. This study assessed the impact of the specialty pharmacy care model on medication adherence for patients on nonspecialty medications.

Impact of a subcutaneous casirivimab and imdevimab clinic in outpatients with symptomatic COVID-19: A single-center, propensity-matched cohort study.

Purpose: To evaluate the success of a clinic for subcutaneous administration of casirivmab and imdevimab (REGEN-COV; Regeneron) for treatment of patients with symptomatic mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in terms of preventing disease progression and healthcare utilization.

Methods: This retrospective single-center, propensity-matched cohort study examined healthcare utilization outcomes for patients who received subcutaneous casirivimab and imdevimab at a pharmacist-led clinic of an academic health system. Eligible patients were treated between August 1, 2021, and January 5, 2022, and were at high risk for COVID-19 disease progression.

Utility of an integrated health system specialty pharmacy in provision of extended-release buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorder.

Purpose: Extended-release (ER) monthly injectable buprenorphine offers an alternative to daily sublingual (SL) dosing for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) that may be attractive to several patient populations, including those with barriers to adherence and the frequent follow-up that are necessary for traditional SL buprenorphine. Despite the potential benefits of ER-buprenorphine, there are significant barriers to healthcare provider adoption that may prevent utilization in the populations that would benefit.

Summary: Our health system began providing clinic-administered ER-buprenorphine as treatment for OUD in May 2018 at a single clinic.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hepatitis C outcomes at a health-system specialty pharmacy.

The goal of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment is to cure the patient of the infection, defined as a nondetectable HCV RNA at least 12 weeks after treatment completion, or sustained virologic response (SVR). The COVID-19 pandemic has presented new barriers to care in the treatment of patients with HCV that resulted in a transition to tele-health services at many health systems to overcome these barriers. To assess the real-world impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent shift to a telehealth model on collection of SVR data and other HCV treatment outcomes in a health-system setting.