Healthy Skepticism Library item: 7832

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Haberman DJ, Clifton GD.
Development of an automated service to support access to pharmaceutical companies' patient assistance program
ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting 2001 Dec; 36:

Abstract:

Medications are the most cost effective means of treating many acute and chronic diseases. Unfortunately, a large number of individuals in our community do not have access to medications because they lack insurance or the means to pay for drug therapies. In response to this problem, we have developed an automated system to support health care providers in serving the prescription needs of these patients. This system assists in obtaining free pharmaceuticals from pharmaceutical companies’ patient assistance programs. Since 1992, the drug industry has provided systematic drug assistance programs for the poor. These programs are currently underutilized, as they are cumbersome and require arduous attention to detail, tracking, and the completion of an inordinate amount of paperwork. We have developed a centralized, systematic approach that supports community clinics. A custom-built software, called MEDS, has been developed that interfaces with RxAssist, a web-based software created by Volunteers in Health Care. RxAssist brings together at one site all known information about company-sponsored patient assistance programs. MEDS makes the process more efficient by providing tracking mechanisms for clinics, health care providers, and patients. Additionally, information is maintained on patients’ income and insurance status along with their medication needs. The program drafts individual patient applications for clinics and applies for the medicines on the clinic’s and patient’s behalf. A tickler system has been incorporated to alert providers that patients are nearing the end of their medication supply, thus minimizing gaps in chronic pharmacotherapy.