Specialty drugs are well-known for their benefits (highly effective in the treatment of chronic diseases, have been known to greatly improve quality of life, and even save lives), as well as their challenges (hard to get and very expensive). In response, service providers like ConnectiveRx help create Hub Services that make access to these medications easier and more affordable.
But, how effective are Hub Services in their mission to improve medication adherence? Do patients and providers embrace them? Can we see a correlation between hub usage and better health outcomes?
5 Ways Hub Services Enhance Patient Care
The following is a quick overview of our in-depth research report on the benefits of specialty drug Hub Services. For a complete look as well as insights into the benefits of POC Messaging and Copay Reduction download our comprehensive eBook by clicking the banner below.
- Specialty therapies, the high-cost prescription medications used to treat complex, rare, or chronic conditions, are the fastest-growing segment of the United States pharmacy market. They represent the majority of total drug costs despite accounting for less than 2% of all claims.
- Hub Services, also known as patient support services or patient support programs (PSPs), were developed to help patients overcome access hurdles and navigate payer-erected barriers to specialty medications. These services provide benefits verification, copay assistance, patient education, appointment scheduling, transportation, ongoing adherence support, data reporting, and refill reminders.
- Nonadherence to specialty drugs is a major challenge among patients, and it can lead to inadequate treatment response, reduced survival rates, relapses, disability symptoms, and poor outcomes for various conditions. Reasons for nonadherence include financial barriers, complications at the pharmacy, forgetfulness, alternative belief systems, fear of side effects, and lack of communication.
- Healthcare providers (HCPs) value Hub Services and trust them to help get patients on therapy. HCPs seek Hub Services that address real-life barriers throughout the patient journey, understand the reasons for patient non-response, and provide efficient PA management, competent hub interaction, accurate information transfer, and efficient benefits verification processing.
- Hub Services have been shown to improve medication adherence, persistence, and health outcomes. Patients enrolled in hub programs have higher levels of adherence, greater prescription refills, and increased persistence to specialty drugs. They also experience lower rates of hospitalization and emergency department visits. Hub Services have been effective in various conditions, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, neovascular age-related macular degeneration, and major depressive disorder.
The Impact of Hub Services on Specialty Care
The in-depth research on specialty drug Hub Services underscores their pivotal role in enhancing medication adherence and patient health outcomes. By navigating financial and logistical barriers, these services ensure patients have easier access to critical, high-cost medications. Evidence shows that patients utilizing Hub Services experience higher adherence levels, fewer hospitalizations, and emergency department visits. Healthcare providers trust these programs to overcome real-life obstacles in patient care. Ultimately, Hub Services are indispensable in bridging the gap between patients and the life-saving therapies they require.