The specialty pharmacy at Comanche County Memorial Hospital recently received the URAC award. They are one of five pharmacies in Oklahoma to independently get this accreditation.
Michelle Coady, the Director of Specialty Pharmacy, said people go to a specialty pharmacy when they have expensive medicine and a complicated disease stage – such as cancer, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis.
“Often, these conditions require special monitoring,” Coady said. “You’ll have additional labs that you’ll have to do and you’ll have more follow-ups. More potential for side-effects.”
She said they let the patient know what side effects to expect and what’s normal and what’s not normal. She said the patients often have to change medications to find the medicine that works for them. They focus on outpatient pharmacy.
“There are a lot of retail pharmacies, but there aren’t a lot of specialty pharmacies,” Coady said.
They’re located inside the Great Plains Pharmacy at CCMH. She said they recently received the URAC award at the 5.0 standard, and only two in the state accomplished that.
“What this signals to the pharmaceutical manufacturers, the insurance companies, and to the providers is that we’re doing things right,” Coady said. “We’re making sure that the medications are dispensed properly, we’re making sure that our patients are followed up, and we’re making sure that everything is stored properly.”
Coady said they also call their patients when it’s time for them to be refilled.
“We check on them and say, ‘Hey, are you feeling ok? Are you having any side effects? Is there anything that’s limiting you from taking this medication?’ and if they answer yes, your liaison is going to connect them with Rich, we go over what’s going on and we contact their provider to help them get on a better plan if needed,” she said.
Coady said they have specialty and regular medications at Great Plains Pharmacy, allowing people to get it all in one place. She said they can also try to help patients find grants to help them find funding for the medicines they need.
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