Making it simple: Patient Support Programs can help Canadians navigate the specialty drug maze

The pandemic has disrupted healthcare in Canada over the past 15 months, forcing rapid innovation and accelerating our uptake of digital solutions. Accessibility, quality and convenience are the new cornerstones shaping the post-pandemic healthcare model. Nowhere is this more evident than in the area of specialty medicines. Broadly, the use and cost of specialty medications is on the rise in Canada, accounting for 24% of the total drug spend in 2014 and projected to reach 52% by 2025. A new study, the Calian Care and Medication Index, found more than half of Canadians surveyed responded they, or someone in their care, take one or more specialty medications to treat chronic, complex conditions, such as those related to oncology, mental health, rheumatology or rare disease. And many (43%) of these patients said the current healthcare system is difficult to navigate given their diagnosis. Patients who are referred for specialty drug programs require complex support, from screening, education and financial assistance to medication administration, nursing care and therapeutic monitoring. According to the study, the biggest barrier for Canadians is financial: 61% of the respondents felt the high costs associated with specialty drugs could prevent them from even starting treatment. Additionally, 82% said Patient Support Programs (PSPs)—offering personalized support throughout the treatment journey—are critical to the management of their condition and 87% value streamlined communications among their circle of care. Well-managed PSPs provide both the financial support and care continuity that simplify the experience and ensure optimal outcomes for these specialty therapies. PSPs address all aspects of the patient experience, including prioritizing compassionate care, providing on-demand access to trained nurses and treatment information and allowing greater patient choice through a pharmacy-agnostic approach. Innovations are focused on the digitization of administrative tasks, such as billing, reimbursement, nurse assignment, prescription refills and reporting. Automating the paperwork associated with a PSP enables healthcare providers to collaborate in a secure environment, improve documentation quality and reduce administrative tasks, freeing up more time to focus on high-quality interactions with patients. And that’s of vital importance to Canadians—88% of those surveyed felt that healthcare providers are more effective when they can spend more time on meaningful interactions with patients. 68% said that nurses have been undervalued during the pandemic. While virtual care is emerging as an exciting new tool for PSP management, it’s really about offering patient-centric, sustainable and convenient healthcare solutions. As an example, injections and infusions have to be administered in person and patients may have a preference to receive treatment at home, at a clinic or at their local pharmacy. Offering personal choice involves the patient in their healthcare decisions and improves adherence by offering a convenient solution that fits into the patient’s life, removing barriers to obtaining treatment. Virtual care is a component of convenient care and is useful to supplement and augment a patient’s experience. A PSP can offer virtual injection training, adherence check-ins, patient education and virtual visits with the patient’s care team (nurse, doctor, pharmacist). Of the people surveyed, 45% said that reminder phone calls from nurses would help them adhere to a drug treatment, while 81% cited a preference for calls, emails and SMS to remind them of physician visits, medication refills and dosing alerts. Canada has a great healthcare system, but it can be complicated to navigate, particularly during stressful times and for those with complex and chronic conditions. A carefully designed PSP can improve outcomes for patients by speeding time to treatment, while reducing the burden on our healthcare system and creating a better experience for everyone in the patient’s circle of care. Post-pandemic, it will be all about finding ways to simplify healthcare in Canada to make it more accessible and convenient, especially in the complex landscape of specialty medications. Kaytlin Sadler is Vice President of Alio Health Services, a Calian Company, which specializes in the design and implementation Patient Support Programs.

Making it simple: Patient Support Programs can help Canadians navigate the specialty drug maze

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