Rush University Medical Center and Shields Health Solutions Team Up to Expand Specialty Pharmacy Services for Patients Living with Complex Chronic Illnesses
CHICAGO & QUINCY, Mass. (PRWEB) April 05, 2018 -- Rush University Medical Center and Shields Health Solutions announced today a partnership that will bring enhanced, life-changing specialty pharmacy services to people in the Chicago area living with complex chronic illnesses such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and Multiple Sclerosis.
The specialty pharmacy at Rush University Medical Center differs from mail-order and retail pharmacies primarily because it dispenses medications for complex diseases that require close patient monitoring, reporting and support for long periods of time. Patients using the specialty pharmacy at Rush have access to enhanced services that include care collaboration and coordination with a dedicated specialty pharmacy liaison.
The role of a pharmacy liaison is to simplify medication and care management while reducing the total cost of care for patients. For example, pharmacy liaisons will help patients sort through insurance coverage, financial assistance, travel, coordinating clinic appointments, medication delivery and home care, among many other factors that impact care outcomes.
“The services offered at our existing specialty pharmacy have improved health outcomes along several important dimensions and we see the expanded services as a means for continuing that trend toward long-term improved health,” said Irfan Merrani, Director, Business & Finance Operations, Health Delivery Management, L.L.C, Rush University Medical Center. “While measurable improvements in care outcomes are the driving force for the initiative, we also believe these specialty pharmacy services could lead to long term decreases in total cost of care. Patients who use medications dispensed from a specialty pharmacy like Rush’s are often managing the most complex illnesses. They are among the most courageous yet vulnerable in our population. Just a little extra support can be life changing.”
Shields is providing a purpose-build technology, called TelemetryRx (TM) that will help physicians at Rush identify which patients can benefit most from the additional support offered by their specialty pharmacy programs. The technology further helps Rush’s patient liaisons navigate all of the additional care services they provide for patients in the most efficient manner, always with a primary focus on improving patient outcomes. Further, Shields will be providing Rush with its national expertise in securing relationships with local and national insurance providers so patients will find it easier to have their insurance cover care provided at Rush.
“Rush University Medical Center has earned a national reputation as a premier provider of care,” said Jack Shields, CEO, Shields Health Solutions. “We are committed to working with the exceptional team at Rush to share our expertise and expand the number of patients receiving care that can change their lives.”
About Shields Health Solutions
Shields Health Solutions is a specialty pharmacy integrator and care provider, partnering with hospital leaders on every aspect of specialty pharmacy creation, growth and management. The company provides the fastest, lowest risk model for health systems to create or grow a hospital-owned specialty pharmacy program.
In doing so, Shields provides health systems with on-site pharmacy and care professionals, a purpose-built specialty pharmacy technology platform, and access to 80+ percent of all limited distribution drugs (LDDs) and most (health insurance) payors in the nation. Shields provides ownership of all specialty pharmacy assets in a health system’s name.
Today many of the most respected health systems in the country, including UMass Memorial, Hartford Healthcare, and NYU Langone rely on Shields Health Solutions to start, grow and manage their specialty pharmacy programs. For more information about the company, visit http://www.shieldshealthsolutions.com.
About Rush University Medical Center
Rush is an academic health system whose mission is to improve the health of the patients and the diverse communities it serves with nationally recognized health care, education and research, as well as a commitment to community partnerships. The Rush system comprises Rush University Medical Center, Rush University, Rush Copley Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital, as well as numerous outpatient care facilities. Rush University, with more than 2,500 students, is a health sciences university that comprises Rush Medical College, the College of Nursing, the College of Health Sciences and the Graduate College.
Kiera McManus, Shields Health Solutions, http://www.shieldshealthsolutions.com, +1 7815665066, [email protected]
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