Beyond the call: Implementing a patient-first digital refill solution in a health-system specialty pharmacy

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Informatics
• Patient Engagement

Background:

• Health-system specialty pharmacies (HSSPs) manage complex medications for patients with chronic conditions.
• Efficient medication refill processes are crucial for patient adherence and outcomes.
• Traditional telephone-based refill assessments can be resource-intensive.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate the Specialty Pharmacy Assessment for Refills-Questionnaire (SPAR-Q) as a digital alternative to telephone-based refill assessments.
• To improve refill workflow efficiency, patient self-management, and reduce administrative burden in HSSPs.
• To assess the impact of a digital-first refill management solution on operational efficiency and patient reporting.

Main Methods:

• The SPAR-Q was integrated into the electronic medical record (EMR) patient portal for eligible patients.
• The questionnaire collected data on medication adherence, effectiveness, and barriers.
• Automated pharmacist escalation pathways were established for patient-reported issues.

Main Results:

• The SPAR-Q achieved a 38.32% response rate (14,325 responses) during its first year of operation.
• Implementation led to an estimated annual reduction of 2,185 technician hours.
• Pharmacist escalation was triggered for 31.9% of responses, mainly for new medications or conditions.

Conclusions:

• The SPAR-Q effectively streamlined refill management, enhancing patient convenience and reducing administrative tasks.
• Digital-first refill solutions can optimize HSSP operations while ensuring clinical oversight.
• Further research should focus on automation refinement and evaluating patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes.