Health System Specialty Pharmacy: Benefits to Oncology Prescription Turnaround Times

Published 02/27/2020
by Kathryn Edwards

A Pharmacy Times article published in February 2020 highlights how the Summa Health Specialty Pharmacy has enhanced care for patients with cancer, lowered oncology prescription turnaround times, and boosted provider satisfaction in the health system’s Cancer Center. Read the full article on Pharmacy Time‘s website.

In the article, Stuart Deal, PharmD, RPh, outlines how the Summa Health Specialty Pharmacy signficantly lowered oncology prescription turnaround times compared to external specialty pharmacies. Though a survey of external specialty pharmacies, Summa Health and Trellis Rx found that turnaround times for patients using these pharmacies averaged 9.7 days for oral oncolytics. In contrast, the average medication turnaround time is dramatically lower at 1.3 days for patients using the Summa Health Specialty Pharmacy.1

Sameer Mahesh, MD, who leads the hematology-oncology team at Summa Health, also credits the specialty pharmacy service with boosting patient confidence and satisfaction. “So many specialty pharmacy interactions are over the phone. But face-to-face conversations build stronger relationships and add another layer of support,” Mahesh said. “It boosts patients’ morale to know they have more than just their physician on their team, fighting the fight for them.”

Read the full article on Pharmacy Time‘s website. Contact Trellis Rx to learn more here.

  1. Trellis Rx. Oral Oncology Medication Turnaround Times Outcomes Reporthttps://www.trellisrx.com/trellis-rx-outcomes-report-oral-oncology-medication-turnaround-times. Accessed November 27, 2019.