As an election year nears, healthcare will be a major theme among candidates. Hospital leaders will need to pay attention to drug pricing legislation and possible changes to the 340B drug program and the ACA, according to a report from the McKesson RxO team.
Here are five trends McKesson predicts for health system pharmacies next year:
- Increasingly blurred lines between care settings. Hospitals are integrating with medical practices, infusion centers and home care, forming sophisticated, complex networks. This evolution presents challenges for patient education, clinical workflow, system integrations, standards across care settings, contractual obligations with group purchasing organizations, payers, suppliers and other vendors, according to McKesson. Business partners need to help networks reduce complexity and streamline operations to focus on improved patient care.
- Specialty pharmacies will continue to expand. Hospital and health systems saw a nearly 20 percent growth in the specialty drug market in 2018, and health systems will continue to open their own specialty pharmacies or expand their existing pharmacies in 2020, McKesson predicted. However, administration of specialty drugs is challenging given the number of new therapies and payer requirements. It is critical to get access to specialty drugs quickly and provide ongoing patient support.
- The 340B program will continue to benefit hospitals. The 340B drug discount program will continue to help hospitals reduce complexity, enhance patient care and provide significant benefits to health systems, McKesson predicted. Ongoing success requires investments in 340B tools to track and manage program savings so hospitals can continue to fund care for patients in underserved communities.
- Out-of-pocket costs will continue to rise. Specialty drugs and high-deductible health plans are putting more financial strain on patients, who are becoming more likely to abandon treatment plans. Health system pharmacies have to be more involved with the revenue cycle than ever before, making sure providers are being reimbursed for drugs. Patient assistance programs as well as other charitable programs are key to better health outcomes, according to McKesson.
- Pharmacists will rely more on data. As pharmacists face more performance-based reimbursement, they will need to use data and analytics to reduce costs and support quality patient care. Because not all health systems have the resources to access a lot of important data, pharmacy leaders will need to work with their business partners, specifically distributors, to help their health systems become the preferred provider for a patient's care, according to McKesson.
Read the full report here.
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