
House Rx, the platform for medically integrated dispensing of specialty medications, has partnered with three new rheumatology clinics to integrate in-house specialty drug dispensing—also known as medically integrated dispensing (MID)—into the clinics’ operations. The three practices are: Arizona Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates (AARA), Arthritis & Osteoporosis Consultants of the Carolinas (AOCC), and Arthritis Associates of Tennessee (AATN), and represent an additional 68 providers that will dispense specialty medications through the House Rx platform, bringing the total number of providers on House Rx’s platform to 137.
While the concept of dispensing specialty medications in rheumatology is not new—a handful of clinics attempted dispensing in the past but ultimately were unsuccessful due to a lack of technological and operational support—House Rx’s model approaches in-office dispensing in a new way. By providing clinics with specialized technology and operational support from pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who work integrated with the clinic, practices can keep the service under their roof while reducing the heavy lifting of implementing and maintaining a successful MID program. In addition, clinics can repurpose staff resources normally spent on prior authorizations and financial assistance for patients to focus on direct patient care or other activities critical to the viability and financial independence of community rheumatology clinics.
By bringing specialty dispensing into the physician’s office, the partnership with House Rx aims to dramatically improve the specialty medication experience for patients. The MID care model provides a seamless and efficient way for patients to receive prescribed therapies directly from their doctor, which research has demonstrated improves outcomes, including quality of life and increased survivability, when contrasted with the Pharmacy Benefit Manager-controlled specialty pharmacy approach.
“This partnership will increase patient satisfaction by providing prescription medication in-house, and House Rx’s technology and expertise will help us achieve this,” says Prakash Viswanathan, CFO of AARA. “It is motivating to help trailblaze a new path in rheumatology and be one of the first practices to bring specialty medication dispensing under our roof, making it far easier and quicker for patients to get the medications they need.”