Why Oncologists Are Switching To In-Office Medication Dispensing
Medically integrated dispensing is improving the way oncologists treat cancer. The percentage of oncology practices participating in medically integrated dispensing programs nearly doubled between 2010 and 2019.
This system allows physicians to stock and sell prescriptions to their patients within their practice. Physicians streamline the prescription process, save their patients time, and create an extra source of revenue by simply dispensing their own medications.
What Is Medically Integrated Dispensing?
Medically integrated dispensing is the practice of distributing medications to patients at the point of care. Medically integrated dispensing is also known as in-office dispensing, point of care dispensing, or physician dispensing.
Oncologists who dispense their own medications are able to provide their patients with their prescriptions during their office visit instead of sending them to a separate specialty or online pharmacy. This process makes getting prescriptions easier and more convenient for patients. It also makes prescribing medication simpler for physicians and their staff.
Reasons Why Medically Integrated Dispensing Works for Oncology
Remove the Complications of a Specialty Pharmacy — Accessing at-home treatments is not an easy feat for cancer patients. Getting to a pharmacy would be difficult enough, but often oncological drugs are only sold by specialty pharmacies. The last thing oncology patients need is to wait in long lines at the pharmacy or wait weeks for online pharmacies to ship their life-saving medications. With a traditional pharmacy, oncologists send a prescription to the pharmacy and may not ever get confirmation that it was received. This method means that care providers are coordinating with a third party that isn’t associated with their clinic, doesn’t know their patient’s medical history, and can often be difficult to communicate with.
Get Treatments Started Sooner — Oncologists who dispense prescriptions in their office can make sure their patients leave their visit with their treatment in hand. This allows patients to begin taking their medication as soon as possible. Without in-office dispensing it often takes up to a couple of weeks for patients to receive their medication. When patients are trying to begin their cancer treatment, a delay of two weeks or more can make a significant impact on their health.
More Cancer Treatments Are Being Offered As Pills — Every year, an increasing number of cancer treatments are offered in pill form. Oral treatments mean that patients can administer their treatment from the comfort and convenience of their own home. In 2015, 9 out of the 18 cancer drugs approved by the FDA were oral drugs. The oncology pipeline currently has an estimated 836 drugs in clinical development, 25% of which are oral agents. Self-administered cancer treatments often mean that patients need access to these drugs through a pharmacy. By developing their own dispensing program, oncologists can provide pharmacy services to their patients and get them started on their treatment without sending them to a third party.
Improved Care Coordination — Most oncology programs pride themselves on expert care coordination. Cancer patients need oncologists, surgeons, nurses, counselors, patient navigators, radiologists, and more. These specialists work as a team to provide the best possible health care to their patients. Pharmacy services can be easily integrated into this process to improve the overall satisfaction for patients and streamline their treatment program. Cancer therapies can be complex, expensive, and stressful. In-office dispensing allows oncology clinics to take on a larger role in the prescription process for their patients. Office staff can help patients apply for payment assistance, communicate with their insurance companies, and provide detailed instructions for at-home treatment administration.
Monitor Patient Treatment Adherence and Progress — Direct dispensing can increase patient compliance by allowing the doctor to make sure their patient receives their medication, as well as complete instructions for use during their visit. In-office dispensing also means that patients will return to the office for their refills during their visit. This way, doctors know that their patient has been taking their medication and can even check in with them for updates on their treatment progress. For example, according to Texas Oncology, the group’s lowest adherence rate for oral chemotherapy is 93%, while the best adherence that specialty pharmacies have been able to report is about 85%.”
Develop Stronger Relationships with Patients — Oncologists can create stronger relationships with their patients through in-office dispensing. In-office dispensing allows patients to speak directly with their physician and office staff about their chemotherapy drugs and how to take them. This keeps medical information private between the patient and their care providers, creating an environment of trust and open communication.
Accumulate Extra Revenue — Medically integrated dispensing also creates an extra source of revenue for oncologists. Some medical practices have seen profit increases of up to 50% by implementing in-office medication dispensing. This money doesn’t come from charging patients more. It is simply redirected from the traditional pharmacy. Instead of big name pharmacies marking up cancer treatments and selling them to patients, oncologists can provide these drugs in their clinic and keep the revenue to improve their treatment program and overall business.
