Surescripts Further Streamlines the Specialty Medication Process

In 2018, Surescripts, the nation’s leading health information network, surveyed providers to gain insight on their experience when writing specialty prescriptions.

The survey identified two challenges: a lack of key information in drug selection and the burdensome manual prescribing process. Providers believe that the challenges may be addressed and specialty prescribing improved if they have the right information at the point of care.

Surescripts introduced its Specialty Patient Enrollment service, which helps prescribers, specialty hubs and pharmacists automate the specialty prescribing process. The technology auto populates the electronic enrollment form required for specialty medications and integrates it into the e-prescribing process.

When combined with access to patient-specific prescription price information and the ability to process prior authorizations electronically, Specialty Patient Enrollment helps reduce excessive administrative delays and speed time to therapy, all while improving the cost, quality and safety of patient care.

According to a recent survey, half of specialty pharmacists said it takes at least four days to fill prescriptions for specialty medications, and wait times of seven to 10 days are not uncommon. Meanwhile, more than two-thirds of specialty pharmacists say administrative tasks get in the way of patient care. Prior authorization tops the list of stressors and delays they report facing.

Surescripts has now further streamlined the specialty medication process with two new network services.

• Surescripts Specialty Medications Gateway helps specialty pharmacists gather necessary patient information without getting bogged down in phone calls and faxes to prescribers, which keeps them from spending time with patients. Surescripts Specialty Medications Gateway complements Surescripts Specialty Patient Enrollment that automates the enrollment process for prescribers.
• Electronic Prior Authorization gives specialty pharmacies a streamlined way to obtain prior authorizations on the prescriber’s behalf. With an automated prior authorization workflow embedded in their pharmacy software, specialty pharmacies have both a clear path to prior authorization and the information they need to dispense the medication.

Takeaway: Surescripts’ new technology streamline information gathering process so specialty pharmacies can focus on caring for patients with serious and complex conditions