July 2023

Do physicians like specialty pharmacy support? Read on to find out the answer.

Over the years, we’ve written a lot about the many benefits of a strong specialty pharmacy service. From advancing value-based care goals to enhancing organizational performance to significantly improving outcomes across disease states, it’s clear specialty pharmacy’s impact can be felt far beyond the walls of the clinic.

But how about specialty pharmacy’s impact within the hospital? Are patients and communities the only ones benefitting from high-touch specialty pharmacy care? Absolutely not! Today, we’re exploring an unexpected benefit many hospitals observe after implementing a specialty pharmacy service: Improved employee satisfaction. But we won’t tell you about the benefits. Let’s let the teams do the talking.

First up: Physicians. We polled doctors from our partner organizations to better understand how specialty pharmacy services impact their work and care delivery.

We asked physicians: What do you think about your specialty pharmacy?

Here's how they responded.

1. “I can’t imagine doing my job without the specialty pharmacy team,” said one physician. And another: “I couldn't do my job without the pharmacy team. They have become a part of our team.” By far the most common feedback physicians shared about specialty pharmacy teams was gratitude. Specialty pharmacists and liaisons have become integral parts of their care teams. Their expertise managing prior authorizations and appeals frees physicians and their staff to focus on clinical work. Plus, physicians feel they have a new ally helping them make better care planning decisions and ensuring patients stick to therapy.
2. “I love working with [NAME]! They always go above and beyond for my patients and I.” Several doctors took the opportunity to recognize specific specialty pharmacists or liaisons by name. They feel their specialty pharmacy colleagues have become a true care partner. Physicians appreciate that they’re able to easily consult with specialty pharmacy teams onsite, in person, daily. Closer clinical relationships mean improved satisfaction for all, and ultimately better patient care.
3. “The specialty pharmacy team has helped me work through complicated approval processes. Patients get the medications they need. Without them, it would be difficult for some of my patients to be effectively cared for.” Many physicians praised the specialty pharmacy team for removing access barriers across the medication journey. Some even noted the incredible lengths their specialty pharmacy colleagues went to ensure patients were able to get on therapies when needed (like working after hours or navigating a natural disaster).
4. “My experiences with specialty pharmacy are always easy and beneficial. I cannot think of any ways to make them better,” and “How do you improve perfection? You’re already there!” Easy and beneficial. In a world where physicians sometimes feel like they need to schedule bathroom breaks, anything that reduces complexities is appreciated. Specialty pharmacy teams create clinical efficiencies. They also enable care teams to work top-of-license to focus on what matters most: patient care.
5. “The specialty pharmacy team provides an invaluable service to patients.” Nearly all physicians we polled commented on the specialty pharmacy’s positive impact on patient experience and outcomes. Doctors raved the high-touch care approach, which focuses on identifying adherence barriers and supporting patients, made a difference. Specialty pharmacy teams also significantly improved patients’ health and quality of life. Some physicians heard such great feedback about the specialty pharmacy from their patients that they, too, decided to manage their family’s care through the specialty pharmacy. And that’s a true testament of specialty pharmacy’s benefits.

Pharmacy teams—particularly in the outpatient and specialty settings—are some of the most impactful roles in healthcare. A high-performing specialty pharmacy service delivers a wealth of immediate and long-term benefits to physicians, organizations, and communities.

Learn how the right partner can help you harness the power of specialty pharmacy collaboration to improve physician satisfaction.