In an effort to more efficiently and effectively connect to patients on a personal level, DirectRx pharmacy recently developed its first weekend education team to provide information, encouragement and education to clients who could benefit most from increased adherence to their prescribed medications.
“We recognize that our patients respond best overall to phone calls versus emails or texts,” said Heather Monte, Director of Operations for DirectRx. “We also know that the best way to encourage adherence is to reach them and get them scheduled for refills on a timely basis. When patients are not refilling their prescribed medication, it’s up to us to help to identify the barriers they are facing.”
Monte discovered that if her team could provide patients with education regarding their medication, along with some encouragement to use it as directed by their physician, they were more likely to stay on therapy. By talking with patients about why they were not using their medications as frequently as prescribed, they were able to stress why it is so important to take it as directed, what actually happens when you stay on your therapy and how it can make you feel better, sleep better and even breathe better – in the case of COPD patients.
“We are finding that patients often just need a personal touch and encouragement, as well as a reminder, in order to refill their medications on time,” said Monte. “To be really effective in reaching our patients, we needed a team that was very focused on reaching out by phone when they were available.”
The new team of six educators are specially trained to reach out to patient groups with traditionally low compliance, at a time when they are most likely to reach them via personal phone call – over the weekend. Using new technology, training and education, the weekend education team has been able to double the number of patients reached by phone and they are seeing a significant increase in the number of refills in the first month of implementation.
DirectRx is dedicated to increasing compliance and wellness for patients with chronic and sometimes life-threatening diseases. The Specialty Pharmacy accreditation includes disease specific clinical monitoring as well as patient compliance and adherence programs, all of which are securely maintained in compliance with Protected Health Information regulations.
DirectRx, an independent specialty pharmacy with dual accreditation from both ACHC and URAC, is dedicated to providing patients with unparalleled, personalized pharmaceutical care. Unlike other pharmacies, DirectRx is owned and operated by certified doctors of pharmacy. As a family-owned business, the company has grown to serve 40 states since its inception more than three decades ago. Investments in technology help to provide clients with accurate, timely orders.