Provider education is the missing piece to addressing patient adherence to therapy

Sponsored by RxCrossroads by McKesson

Patients benefit greatly from hub services such as case manager support and home health nurses; however, their providers are who they turn to first when they have questions. Research shows that perceived provider support and adherence directly correlate.

The most comprehensive adherence services encompass not only patient support but also provider education. RxCrossroads by McKesson employs highly trained Nurse Educators with disease-specific experience to teach providers about therapy management for a specific therapy regimen.

Patients need to be able to rely on their providers and support teams for education, empowerment and help navigating side effects, adverse events, affordability options and other important considerations throughout their chronic disease journey.

To get patients onboarded and adherent to therapy, providers first need to understand each new drug that comes to market—the side effects and risks, the benefits to patients, a profile of who would benefit most and affordability options offered by the brand.

If biopharma companies arm providers with additional education, providers can set their patients up for success and build an integrated patient and provider strategy, strengthening the investment in patient support programs. Not only will providers feel more comfortable guiding patients through their treatment plan, but they will also be able to set expectations and watch for obstacles, so they can drive more positive outcomes for patients.

Nurse Educators are deployed by area of expertise, allowing for team building between the nurses and physicians in a specific practice. These peers speak the same language, have comparable clinical experience and can connect on a level that no sales team can—because their end goal and measurement criteria are not increased scripts. They are simply giving providers the best insight into new therapies and the most up-to-date information in their field.

Nurse Educator programs are particularly crucial for 12 to 18 months during the launch of a drug to ensure market awareness and full clinical familiarity, as well as to identify any potential problem areas or populations early on. Some biopharma companies first opt for a robust launch strategy, and then employ a core group of Nurse Educators to offer adherence support to providers long term.

Nurse Educators may conduct an open visit to a practice or plan to meet one-on-one with a physician. They also offer detailed knowledge of the drug’s nuances that can help clinicians manage patient hurdles, assess a patient’s health literacy and ensure the quality of their care.

This level of support can provide a great deal of assistance to clinical staff. Nurse Educators share interests and perspectives with providers that foster relationships of trust and credibility, enabling them to act as partners and respected resources. This allows for a continued relationship and dialogue to address any questions about how to handle a certain aspect of a drug before, during and after a patient starts therapy.

Many providers share insights with Nurse Educators into why their patients were unable to start or continue the therapy (e.g., whether there were transportation or affordability concerns).

These conversations can serve as a rich source of feedback from providers regarding potential risk areas, unanticipated barriers to access and adherence and affordability issues. Biopharma companies can use this information to develop and implement more responsive programs and support.

While several companies offer independent nurse educator support, RxCrossroads’ Nurse Educator services are particularly effective, as they integrate the offering into the biopharma company’s full range of hub and clinical services that support patient access and adherence across the continuum of care.

RxCrossroads Nurse Educators can create unique and lasting partnerships between biopharma companies and providers, as two parties with one shared goal: improving patient outcomes and providing better care. Learn more about how RxCrossroads’ access and adherence solutions can help support your therapy.