Patient Support Programs (PSPs) in the pharmaceutical sector represent an array of services to support patients to begin therapy and stay adherent. The term PSPs is interchangeably used as Patient Assistance Programs or Patient Support Services and is most prevalently offered in the United States due to diverse healthcare infrastructure, complex insurance coverage, and consequently, low rate of therapy adherence.
Globally, PSPs are known for providing patient education and adherence outreach to ensure patients understand the background and importance of their therapy management.
Types of Patient Support Programs
The types of patient support programs vary depending on the therapeutic area and the specific medications, but the ultimate goal of each program is to help patients overcome barriers to accessing and adhering to the therapy to improve their health outcomes.
Patient Assistance Programs
One of the main types of PSPs is what's known as Patient Assistance Programs, predominantly offered in the United States where the focus is to assist patients and their caregivers to obtain medication by reducing financial burdens in various ways. This includes reviewing the current insurance coverage, helping with prior authorization if necessary, providing trial or copay card information, and checking eligibility to enroll in a financial assistance program. Addressing financial barriers is crucial for patients to start the appropriate therapy instead of seeking alternatives, possibly unsafe solutions, that could harm their health.
Patient Education Program
Another type of PSP is a Patient Education Program that focuses on patients and their caregivers to better understand the disease state and medication or device. Patient education can support patients and their caregivers with direct instructional assistance from healthcare providers by phone or digital channels.
Highly skilled medical writers also create easy-to-comprehend visual educational materials that can be shared with patients. The extension of patient education is adherence outreach where patients are followed up to share their experiences, address the barriers or difficulties, and be encouraged to stay adherent.
Provider Support
One patient support program strategy is supporting providers' offices and clinics to aid patients to have access and education to medications. Providers can start patients on therapy easier when they are equipped with sample products, mock devices, frequently asked questions, visual instructions, free trial or copay cards, or financial assistant enrollment information. Provider support also includes assisting with billing and coding information so that providers are reimbursed properly for any medication administration.
ProPharma's Best-in-Class Patient Support Program Solutions
ProPharma offers the best-in-class patient support programs with our global team of contact center experts within the Medical Information (MI) service line. We have over 35+ native bilingual speakers located across the globe, handling a variety of inquiries, and striving to serve every inquirer with passion and professionalism.
ProPharma's global footprint is strongly supported by regional and market expertise, harmonized global processes, and compliance with local regulations. Our cloud-based telephony and database are globally integrated and readily scalable to support clients of any complexity and scope and we also have a wealth of experience with a diverse range of client systems.
We offer various channels for patients and their caregivers to communicate their needs, from phone and email to digital interactions. ProPharma's pharmaceutical patient support programs are highly customizable to serve the client's goal to achieve better health outcomes and increased quality of life.
How ProPharma Excels in Managing PSPs
Many patient support programs are implemented with customer service contact center expertise with agents with minimal customer handling skills. At ProPharma, PSPs are implemented under the infrastructure of medical information, a team of highly educated and trained specialists, often healthcare professionals. Our patient support specialists are integrated with the MI team to adhere to high-quality inquiry handling and effortless transition between PSPs and MI to enhance customer trust and journey. With MI resources, such as the medical writing team, ProPharma's patient support can extend services far beyond other patient support outsourcing options.
Patients and their caregivers are faced with ever-divergent choices and barriers to selecting the appropriate therapy to improve their health. Comprehensive or limited, patient support is pivotal for patients to start the therapy and continue for better health outcomes. ProPharma is committed to helping our clients and their patients to achieve their health goals with our patient support programs.
Contact ProPharma today and speak with a Patient Support Program Expert to learn how we can help your company attract and retain patients.
