Independent Specialty Pharmacies: Friend or Forgettable?

Dear specialty pharma reps at large,

I happen to work for an independent specialty pharmacy and am curious what the industry take is on the services we offer in the realm of HCV, Crohn's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Transplant, etc? I get the impression that most specialty pharma reps are generally very satisfied with their company sponsored programs (MyHumira, Enliven, Cimplicity, AccessOne, Be In Charge, Pegassist, etc.) but wondered if those programs-which are usually contracted out to large, 3rd party PBM-type companies--really continue to offer same high-touch patient support, timely injection training and ongoing adherence monitoring month after month?

As we all know, keeping a patient on drug can be just as important to the bottom line as the lauch of a new blockbuster, so I'd like to tee it up to the field for some feedback on the role & value of independent specialty pharmacies in this day and age. In other words, given the choice between having a script sent to a company program vs. an independent specialty pharmacy you know reports data, which one do you prefer?

 

I would be interested to see replies to this as well. Many of the reps favor the big pharmacies that the company signs on with vs. an independent and local specialty pharmacy. A lot of the reps even seem hostile towards the reps for independents. However, what they don't realize is how much of a help we can be to them with prior auths, customer service, etc. Not to mention - I have NEVER met a pharma rep who has the expense allowance I have, and we are not under phrma guidelines, so football games, etc. are a go. If I were a rep I would see the benefit in partnering with a local independent. But, who knows what some are thinking.

 

As far as I'm concerned all pharmacists can go straight to hell. I'm sick and tired of you guys switching branded prescriptions for the crappy generics. Docs would not write the BRANDED name of our products if he/she did not want that BRANDED name given to the patients. It would help if you all would go to the formularies and tell THEM branded is actually superior to generics. You know they are. Why not explain to the patient WHY the BRANDED is superior. we are not allowed to discuss products with patients in waiting rooms.

I sell specialty prenatal vitamins and there is not FDA regulation at all and they're not AB rated. So.....you all just think it's OK for a woman to NOT get the folic acid they need for NTD protection and continue to switch to generics ALL THE TIME.

You ALL suck.

 

You moron - we don't even deal with those kind of products, hence the word specialty.

 

specialty pharmacy who reports or not??

Being a specialty representative the main concern is do we get credit from the specialty pharmacy- does it report. For the most part they all do a good job. DO you report or not that is the question.

Bio Plus does NOT report. Please do not use Bio Plus. Bio Plus has a large following in my area.

Who else does not report??

 

Most patients are being forced to switch to mail order from their insurance company. If they don't, the insurance simply not going to pay.

Medco let's you get a drug filled retail 3 times, then MUST use mail order.

It's all going that way. My best friend works for Osco and said mail order is killing retail chains.

Pretty soon only drugs to get filled locally will be for acute conditions. All chronic drugs will go through mail order to get covered.

 

How can any specialty pharmacy stay afloat if they don't have the managed care contracts? It's complete lockout!

 

Interesting Post.

If you were running your own businesss....lets just say you make oh, hmmm, Golf Balls. You have multiple distribution channels right? Walmart, Target, Costco, Dicks Sports etc..

Well, these big box stores are not very customer oriented in the sense that they wont explain why a Titleist Pro V1 is a better ball vs Callaway Tour ix...for the intermediate golfer with a 95 MPH golf swing.

That bothers me as a golf ball salesman but what can I do. They drive huge numbers/.

Now Bob's golf shop out in the backwoods of KY (cause he cant compete in an urban environment due to the accessablilty and ease of use of the big box stores) knows the difference between the golf balls and takes every opportunity to educate his customer.

I love that but he does only 1/1000th the volume of the big box stores.

I get paid on % market share. What would you do?

 

The Independent specialty pharmacies can not survive due to not have name recognization. It is everything in this industry. Plus the major players hold all of the contracts. Why use a small specialty pharmacy and risk the challenges of launching a major drug without the backing of contracts or proven track record. Launch can kill a brand.If the implementation is done poorly you will suck in the market and your competitor is knocking at the door with their PDUFA date and ready to suck your sales away with a more in tune launch.

 

The earlier post had it exactly right in terms of the concern over getting sales credit. Our products go through specialty pharmacy, and one of the biggest SPs (who is one of our preferred pharmacies) consistently does not have all the data. We just got retro credit for 4Q sales. This type of reporting problem does lead to a distrust that any sales that go through a small independent or regional SP will show up as sales.

I tried very hard to have a strong local SP in my territory added to the approved distribution list, but couldn't make it happen. The pharmacy director assured me that they report to IMS and Wolters Kluwer and that we would get sales credit, but it didn't matter. The big wigs do not want to manage multiple contracts and have to chase potential sales credit issues for a bunch of one off independents.

I think independents can really provide that extra special touch that might convince a doc to try our drug, but I cannot afford the risk of not getting sales credit.

 

I agree with the last post! I truly love my specialty reps in the industry I work in, but I not only fight the daily battle for docs to choose my products over my competitors', but I also fight the battle of trying to steer all of my business away from a specialty pharmacy that refuses to report to us. Those greedy bastards get my scripts, and refuse to report what came through. All of my hard work and sweat goes down the tubes, and I get the shittiest bonus imaginable.

 

There are ways to ensure that your data is captured, even for those pharmacies that do not report to IMS. You should ask the pharmacies if they have the capability to report the data directly or if they use a third party to do so. At any rate, this data has a value to it for both the manufacturer and the pharmacy.

 

Independent specialty pharmacies that report can be a best friend. While focusing on specialty pharmacies that report. I was able to increase my retail sales 222% last quarter. The key for the specialty pharmacy is to partner with a rep, who sells an expensive drug that most other pharmacies will only order in on a case by case basis. Services to provide are insurance verification, shipment to the patients home, provide an order form specific to customers needs prefilled out so they only require a signiture and fax them in. Updates to the offices are extremely important,. IE confirmations on what the copayment is and confirmation that the patient has picked up or has been shipped to the patients home. With this high level of customer service you will win on that product and you will have brand recognition with the prescriber. Take him to a game. I am sure he will throw you more business. FYI. some indepedents are already reaching out to big pharma and partnering with marketing. Now they have a free sales force because we promote them so our patients stay on the products longer and we obtain more patients. They only report to the big pharma under their agreement. Reps get paid and the competition has no clue were their business has gone. They think it is just a drop in market utilization. Fyi on your not being part of pharma code. If a rep were to participate in you taking a doctor to a game and discussing business. You are still morally breaking the code. Its kind of like, if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it, does it still make a sound. Now on the other hand if you were to invite a bunch of reps out and tell me about your services. I could attend and perhaps buy in. After all that would fall under your code because we are all your possible customers and not mine. sorry if typos. typed quick

 

He said Dicks and KY in the same post, rad.

 

additional comment to the 9-16-09 comment.....

You are right on track! Having been in the Oncology arena for years and now working for an Oncology Pharmacy we have so much to offer to you, your company, the practice and the patient. We are a "free sales force" for limited distribution drugs, IV and injectables. We assist the practice with prior authorizations, co-pay assistance, next day delivery either to the patient or the practice and being able to offer the reps and manufacturing reporting.

It's nice to work for a company that actually does what we say we are going to do for either the rep, manufacturer, practice and patient. It's the best sales experience I've ever been involved in the past 24 years! It truly is ashame that some sales reps don't get what we are trying to do. We're trying to make a living and help all of you in the process with reporting information and sharing info as to who the big writers are in the territory.

As an example if my company can get a Revlimid out the next day to a patient, assist with co-pay foundations, prior auths, provide drug with blister packaging and remind the office about the patient refills...its a no brainer! We're doing all the work...yes, I'd want to work with that specialty rep. Some reps have a bad taste in their mouth from other pharmacies...we're not all alike!

 

FYI.

Curascript Specialty Pharmacy has always reported and always will report to IMS. They also provide the best service out of any of the Big Three(Careplus,Medco,Curascript). Its kind of pointless using smaller SP's because of the lack of contracts. 7 out of 10 scripts sent to a smaller SP land up getting transfered to one of the big three anyway. A complete waste of time for the patient and MDO. I highly suggest finding a SP rep from one of the big three that has contracting in your area and stick with them.

 

Thanks for posting, Curascript rep. Idiot!

 

Yep how did you guess I worked for Curascript you f*cking douche!

 

OncoMed Oncology Pharmacy also reports to IMS. To my knowledge they will also provide sales data to any rep, DM or manufacturer that inquires about the data. They only provide Oncology medications but they seem to do a real good job getting the drug to the patient the very next day.
Several of my top offices use this Pharmacy because of their quick turn around time and the fact that they assist the practice with prior authorizations and co-pay assistance is a big help for the office staff. The offices tell me the rep and pharmacy offer them great customer service. I have the reps card I'm gonna check them out to see if they will provide me with any data. I'll let you guys know!

 

All Specialty Pharmacies = FIEND ! Use of mandatory mail order specialty pharmacy is a complete joke. First of all the "customer care" to gain "compliance" is nothing more than harassment--robotic phone calls, letters are merely about charging your credit card ASAP. People with chronic conditions are forced into situations where they either go without meds or have to fill an emergency supply at their former local pharmacy who they're no longer allowed to use. "Exclusive home delivery" means dumping temperature sensitive meds worth $thousands$ on doorsteps in rain, sleet, heat, and snow. I am an angry patient. I have experience with several specialty pharmacies, including independent, and have horror stories involving all. Specialty pharmacies makes bundles of $ for themselves and insurance companies at great expense to patients. The industry is a great scam!