The future of pharmacy access: The impact of putting prescribing information in patients’ hands
Across the healthcare industry, patients are demanding more transparency. They want to take control of their health and access their medical data. They're right—patients should be at the center of the health care system, not the edges.
One of the most promising areas for driving this shift is pharmacy access, particularly for prescription drugs. Today, nearly all providers use electronic prescribing software, which also provides real-time information on drug pricing and availability. Few healthcare providers share this information with patients either directly or through tools that provide the information directly to patients, missing critical opportunities to improve care and empower decision-making.
Patients care most about their health outcomes. Those of us who design healthcare software and services need to consider the patient experience. Doing so often resolves issues upstream. Take medication adherence, for example: only about 50% of chronic medication patients follow their treatment plan, leading to an estimated 125,000 preventable deaths and costing the U.S. healthcare system $100B to $300B annually. Making medicines more accessible and affordable for patients can literally save lives.
To support a more patient-centered approach to pharmacy, three key elements should be addressed when prescribing:
1. Insurance Eligibility and Coverage – Providers should be able to easily view and share eligibility and coverage information before writing a prescription to help patients understand what is covered, what is not covered, and what alternatives exist. This helps prevent delays and ensures patients receive timely treatment at a price they can afford.
2. Availability – Patients need to know where their medications are in stock. Providers’ technology vendors can choose to share this information with patients via text notifications, preventing wasted trips to multiple pharmacies or, worse, patients abandoning their prescriptions altogether.
3. Pricing – Pricing varies widely between pharmacies, but patients often default to the nearest one without realizing there may be better options. A two-pronged approach can be used to provide pricing transparency to patients: Providers can see cost comparisons (including mail-order or online options), and patients can receive this information via text message and make informed decisions on their own.
According to a national survey, 33% of Americans do not fill their prescriptions. main reason:
● Cost (30%)
●Forgetfulness (18%)
● Drugs are out of stock (17%)
● Traffic problems (17%)
A quick conversation about coverage, availability, and pricing can help patients make informed decisions and leave the office confident that their medications are dispensed at the best price possible. This approach not only benefits patients but also saves time for healthcare providers. There are fewer follow-up calls about insurance coverage or pharmacy changes. There are fewer cases of exacerbations due to not taking medications.
Patients don’t have to navigate multiple portals or sift through complex insurance documents to understand their options. What they want and need is a trustworthy provider that explains their options clearly and simply and gives them direct access to information so they can act as informed consumers.
Photo by Flickr user Jernej Furman
Julian Herbert began his career in technology product development as a business analyst focusing on e-commerce in the semiconductor industry. Out of curiosity, he became a management consultant with Deloitte, where he led M&A divestitures and integrations in a variety of industries, including pharmaceuticals and biotech. He then returned to product development and e-commerce at Amazon, launching machine learning solutions for third-party sellers on the platform. Julian also led product development for AWS Startups, building their first micro-targeting product line.
At DoseSpot, Julian leads product innovation, helping the company grow and deliver safe and reliable e-prescribing technology and software integration across multiple healthcare markets. Originally from Louisiana, Julian graduated as valedictorian from Southern University in Baton Rouge with a bachelor's degree in computer science. He also holds an MBA from the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, where he focused on strategy and entrepreneurship.
This article appeared in Medical City Influencers program. Anyone can share their thoughts on healthcare business and innovation on MedCity News through MedCity Influencers. Click here to learn how.
