SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — McKesson Patient Relationship Solutions (MPRS) has launched LoyaltyScript@Retail, a solution designed to give pharmacists a convenient way to provide patients with savings and enhanced care at the point of dispensing.
The McKesson Corp. division said Wednesday that LoyaltyScript@Retail provides pharmacists with in-store, online access to co-payment savings offers for an expanding list of medications across a range of therapeutic classes, including diabetes, hypertension, respiratory, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.
The solution will be available initially at more than 10,000 pharmacies, including Health Mart pharmacies, chain store networks and independent pharmacies nationwide. McKesson said the number of participating pharmacies is slated to grow to more than 20,000 pharmacies by early next year.
"While physicians remain a primary source for patients to learn about the availability of medication savings programs, an increasing number of patients are seeking information from their pharmacist. According to recently released McKesson research, more than one-third of patients indicated that they have asked their pharmacist about lower-cost medications, and 71% indicated they would be more likely to fill their prescription if the pharmacist provided a medication savings card or coupon," Derek Rago, vice president and general manager at McKesson Patient Relationship Solutions, said in a statement. "In one click, pharmacists have instant access to a growing list of online brand offers through LoyaltyScript@Retail, helping them meet the needs of patients seeking co-pay savings offers at the pharmacy, providing affordable prescriptions and ultimately improving patient adherence."
From a single destination and within existing pharmacy workflows, LoyaltyScript@Retail also provides pharmacists with one-stop access to medication adherence support tools to foster better health outcomes for patients. The program can help reach patients who may not be aware of, or have access to, co-pay savings offers and loyalty programs — in turn providing pharmacists with a means to help patients start and stay on their prescribed therapy.
"I often sit down with my patients to search manufacturer websites for brand coupons to address their financial needs," stated John Kross, owner of Pill Box Health Mart Pharmacy in Pembroke Pines, Fla. "The LoyaltyScript@Retail solution allows me to deliver that same quality care in a timely manner, allowing for greater focus on patient needs beyond financial.”
McKesson pointed out that improving medication adherence continues to be a key focus of health care reform and pharmacy performance measurement, and financial barriers to adherence are a challenge for pharmacists, since patients often don’t know the amount of their out-of-pocket co-pay amount until the "moment of truth" at the counter when they are about to pick up their prescription. The LoyaltyScript@Retail solution gives pharmacists the opportunity to intervene at those moments and provide prescription savings offers at the counter to patients who might otherwise abandon their prescription.
"LoyaltyScript@Retail expands on McKesson’s strategy to provide co-pay offers and program information through innovative delivery channels, reaching health care providers including pharmacists, physicians and patients in their care and provides patients, otherwise missed by co-pay and loyalty program access channels, with access to savings and loyalty program information in support of better health," Rago added.
