Infusion products make up an increasing percentage of the FDA's approved medications, creating a greater need for specialty pharmacies to add these services to their existing business. In the last several months alone I've been approached by several industry colleagues “How do I add infusion services to my existing book of Specialty Pharmacy business?”
Introducing an infusion line of business could be the next step in elevating patient care and expanding your services.
Tips For Getting Started With Infusion Services
Understand your patient's needs.
Before diving into infusion services, it's important you understand & assess the needs of your community. Are there independent pharmacy opportunities to support home infusion, infusion suites, or ambulatory infusion centers in your service areas? What types of infusion therapies are most in demand? Tailor your services to meet those needs.
Get accredited.
Ensuring your pharmacy is properly accredited can be operationally daunting, but it serves as a badge of excellence that builds trust within your community. When adding infusion services, it may mean you need to bundle some additional accreditations with your existing ones. You may also need to make sure you have a DMEPOS accreditation to help with medical billing.
D2's accreditation management technology, AccredComply, was designed to cross-reference accreditation requirements and minimize any double work this would require.
Related Topics: Tips for Managing & Maintaining your URAC Accreditation »
Invest in infrastructure and focus on comfort.
Infusion services require a new level of intentionality when it comes to patient comfort. We recommend setting up dedicated infusion suites equipped with the latest technology for a comfortable and safe patient experience.
I also recommend offering home infusion options for patients who prefer or require at-home care. Do you have a place for private infusions for patients and their caregivers? Should this be a home infusion option, does this influence your infrastructure, or both?Assess your technology needs.
It's important to recognize that a growth in patient services influx in patients will mean an increase in administrative tasks. This doesn't have to be frightening, however, as a quick assessment of technology needs may help fill in the gaps.
Some questions to consider:
- Does your existing pharmacy operating software allow you to bill medical claims?
- Can you use technology to help you manage your medical PAs?
- Can you communicate with patients digitally?
Related Topics: Balancing Compliance & Patient Satisfaction
Integrate your services & educate your patients.
Take time to consider how infusion services integrate into your existing offering. Focus on creating a seamless experience and holistic healthcare solution.
Once this is clear, be sure to provide that information to your patients. Create clarity around the benefits and processes of infusion therapy so patients can make informed decisions. Having patient assistance programs including copay assistance is critical to helping patients navigate their health care challenges.
Market strategically.
You know you've met a community need, so be intentional about how you spread the word! Use targeted marketing to reach potential patients and referring physicians, highlighting the convenience and quality of your new services.
You're dedicated to patients; we're dedicated to you.
As a team of former pharmacists and healthcare leaders, our mission at D2 Solutions is to help you increase efficiency, minimize risk, and drive access so you can focus on what matters most: providing the best care to your patients. We have spent over a decade developing the consulting and technology solutions we wish we’d had access to when we faced hurdles of regulatory compliance, license tracking, managing multiple accreditations, etc.
Let us know what challenges your organization is facing, we're here to help you bridge the gap and deliver better across your organization.
