WOONSOCKET, RI — Patients living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) face a rare, complex, and often life-changing diagnosis that requires highly specialized, coordinated care. Through its integrated clinical model, CVS Specialty, in partnership with Coram, provides attentive, personalized support to help PH patients manage therapy, handle daily challenges, and improve long-term outcomes.
A life-changing diagnosis — and a path forward
When fatigue started to interfere with the life of Eric Borstein, a healthy and athletic volunteer coach and family man, he ignored the symptoms. In September 2020, that choice nearly cost him his life. Borstein collapsed from severe right-sided heart failure and was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a rare and progressive form of PH. Initially, doctors estimated he had only months to live.
Today, Borstein’s story shows what specialized care can achieve. Now an advocate for PH awareness and research, he walks thousands of miles each year to raise funds and awareness for the condition — progress he credits in part to the comprehensive support he gets through CVS Specialty.
The scope and complexity of pulmonary hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension affects about 1% of people worldwide. The disease damages blood vessels in the lungs and can quickly progress to heart failure if not treated properly. PAH is one of five PH classifications and often requires lifelong therapy, close monitoring, and prompt intervention if symptoms change.
Because PH treatments can involve oral, inhaled, injectable, and continuous infusion therapies, adherence and education are vital to patient success.
Improving adherence through coordinated pharmacy care
CVS Specialty’s pharmacist-managed PAH program is designed to help patients stay on therapy consistently. A recent adherence analysis found that patients in the program had an 11.5% higher adherence rate compared to a control group, with the proportion of days covered reaching 87% versus 78%.
That performance is fueled by frequent pharmacist engagement, medication counseling, and 24/7 access to clinicians with PH-specific expertise.
The role of dedicated PH nurses
For many patients, a PH diagnosis follows a medical emergency and brings overwhelming complexity. Coram/CVS Specialty’s dedicated PH nurses provide education, emotional support, and hands-on therapy management, conducting more than 23,000 in-home and virtual visits each year.
Borstein started treatment with continuous infusion therapy, a 24/7 regimen that requires careful management. Over time, his care team successfully helped him switch to oral therapy — highlighting the importance of personalized treatment planning.
“Coming to terms with this diagnosis was overwhelming,” Borstein said. “The consistent emotional, educational and medication therapy support from my in-home Coram/CVS Specialty nurse was transformative, not just for me, but for my family.”
Jennifer McMahon, therapy director for CVS Specialty’s PH Center of Excellence, highlighted that education and preparedness are key parts of the model. Emotional support, she said, is crucial for helping patients and caregivers feel confident and safe when managing complex therapies.
Simplifying access while maintaining rigor
CVS Specialty’s PH program is structured to reduce friction and accelerate care through:
- Streamlined onboarding, including proactive prior authorizations and connections to third-party financial assistance
- Access to the full range of FDA-approved PH therapies
- Oversight from a PH Center of Excellence that continuously evaluates best practices
- A dedicated fleet of PH-focused nurses trained extensively in disease states and therapies
- 24/7 access to PH-specialized pharmacists
- Digital tools for refills, payments and delivery tracking
Collaboration at the center of care
Close coordination with prescribers and advocacy groups is a key element of the model. Because PH nurses stay in frequent contact with patients, they are often the first to notice changes in condition and can promptly alert doctors when therapy adjustments are needed. Practice liaisons additionally support physicians by making onboarding and communication more efficient.
At its core, CVS Specialty’s PH approach is based on a simple principle: patients with rare and complex diseases deserve a dedicated care team that listens, responds, and advocates — every step of the way.
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