Seven health systems are uniting to form the Health System Owned Specialty Pharmacy Alliance, or HOSP, to advocate for health system-owned specialty pharmacies.
The group will advocate for the interests of integrated specialty pharmacies and promote best practices to deliver the best patient care and patient outcomes, the organization said in a news release.
"HOSP will act as the 'face and voice' of the integrated specialty pharmacy industry, advocating for, and uniting members around, common industry interests and concerns," said Tanya Menchi, executive director for HOSP. "We believe the integrated health system-owned specialty pharmacy model is the best way to deliver exceptional patient care and outcomes. The industry needs its own voice. HOSP’s goal is to help bring the industry together so they have a seat at the table and ensure that their interests are represented."
Specialty pharmacies deliver medications for more complex and chronic illnesses. More than a quarter of specialty pharmacies are owned by health systems, a trend that continues to grow, according to the alliance.
Health system-owned specialty pharmacies improve medication management and treatment compared to a more fragmented approach to care, a news release from the new alliance said. There hasn't been an organization devoted solely to representing the health system-owned specialty pharmacy industry until now, it said.
"HOSP delivers a platform for the industry to firmly establish the integrated specialty model as the new industry standard. HOSP is long overdue and is a great way for the industry to share ideas and expertise, discuss data-based research on improved outcomes and advocate for their common interests," said Tom Scully, a former CMS administrator.
The seven health systems involved are:
- Fairview Health Services (Minneapolis)
- UMass Memorial Medical Center (Worcester, Mass.)
- Baystate Health (Springfield, Mass.)
- Hartford (Conn.) HealthCare
- Berkshire Health Systems (Pittsfield, Mass.)
- WVU Health System (Morgantown, W.V.)
- CommonSpirit Health (Chicago)
The partnership also includes Shields Health Solutions, a company that helps hospitals create and grow specialty pharmacies.
The alliance said it will support the fully integrated model of patient care from faster time to therapy to better medication adherence and coordinated care with prescriber team oversight.
Membership is open to any qualified health system that seeks to embrace the group's mission of delivering critical care excellence through health system-owned specialty pharmacies, the alliance said.