CVS Health offers clinical digital support to specialty pharmacy patients
CVS Health is highlighting its efforts to support patients prescribed specialty medications who may have side effects and complications, may find it difficult to start or refill their therapy, or have questions about laboratory monitoring and other aspects of their care. In an effort to help these patients with these and other challenges, CVS Health said it is offering on-demand care via secure messaging on patients’ mobile phones or CVS Specialty website.
A proprietary, company-built tool loaded with therapy and indication-specific clinical information enables patients to opt-in to receive personalized message alerts via their mobile phone asking if they are experiencing a certain side effect that is common with their prescribed medication.
"This message is timed for the day when, based on clinical trial data, the drug’s label and feedback from the many thousands of patients we serve, a patient is most likely to experience a specific side effect. The message also includes a link to ask a medication-related question," said CVS Health.
The patient and a clinician can have a secure messaging exchange in real-time via mobile device or website, or by phone with a specialty therapy expert clinician who helps that patient work through whatever they are experiencing and makes recommendations to address their health care needs in a timely manner.
The capability was piloted in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and for those who enrolled, up to 30% more patients achieved optimal medication adherence, according to CVS Health.
This advanced adherence offering is now available to nearly all of CVS Specialty patients with similar results demonstrated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis, according to CVS Health.
“We are also seeing that patients prefer digital communication channels, with 80% of them engaged in the messaging programs. As research shows, better engagement and medication adherence can help improve clinical outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs,” said CVS Health. “By enabling this highly personalized, secure platform, we are able to connect with a patient during a critical time in their care — in between doctor’s visits, when they are thinking about their health and are more receptive to coaching — and offer support and/or clinical solutions.”
Patients can use the CVS Specialty app or website to ask about a variety of topics, including medication side effects, disease-related questions or the order status for their medication, as well as to access condition-specific educational materials, request lab order refills and receive medication refill reminders.
A proprietary, company-built tool loaded with therapy and indication-specific clinical information enables patients to opt-in to receive personalized message alerts via their mobile phone asking if they are experiencing a certain side effect that is common with their prescribed medication.
"This message is timed for the day when, based on clinical trial data, the drug’s label and feedback from the many thousands of patients we serve, a patient is most likely to experience a specific side effect. The message also includes a link to ask a medication-related question," said CVS Health.
The patient and a clinician can have a secure messaging exchange in real-time via mobile device or website, or by phone with a specialty therapy expert clinician who helps that patient work through whatever they are experiencing and makes recommendations to address their health care needs in a timely manner.
The capability was piloted in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia and for those who enrolled, up to 30% more patients achieved optimal medication adherence, according to CVS Health.
This advanced adherence offering is now available to nearly all of CVS Specialty patients with similar results demonstrated in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis, according to CVS Health.
“We are also seeing that patients prefer digital communication channels, with 80% of them engaged in the messaging programs. As research shows, better engagement and medication adherence can help improve clinical outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs,” said CVS Health. “By enabling this highly personalized, secure platform, we are able to connect with a patient during a critical time in their care — in between doctor’s visits, when they are thinking about their health and are more receptive to coaching — and offer support and/or clinical solutions.”
Patients can use the CVS Specialty app or website to ask about a variety of topics, including medication side effects, disease-related questions or the order status for their medication, as well as to access condition-specific educational materials, request lab order refills and receive medication refill reminders.