To the editor:
Your story in the December 2023 issue, Hospital Headwinds, was a missed opportunity to detail the tremendous impact of the University of Michigan Health specialty pharmacy program.
Expanding our pharmacy will allow us to help more patients like 7-year-old Rose Hallisy. Rose is on 12 different medications for cystic fibrosis, which was discovered right after she was born. She now gets all but two of those 12 medications through our specialty pharmacy.
Prior to switching to the U-M Health specialty pharmacy, Rose and her family had to rely on mail delivery for some medications. They often had to deal with retail pharmacists who didn’t understand her complicated medications or how insurance worked. Medications were delayed, her parents were often frustrated, and ultimately her quality of care suffered.
The U-M pharmacy provides comprehensive prescription care that is closely connected to Rose’s physicians and nursing team. It’s been a game changer for her family, and our mission is to provide this service to even more patients.
Supported by our new facility in Dexter, our specialty pharmacy program offers many advantages:
1. State of the art automation to support patient safety for every prescription filled.
2. Knowledgeable caregivers who help patients access the medication they need regardless of their ability to pay.
3. Pharmacists available 24/7 with advice on complex specialty medications, side effects and questions, who also closely work with prescribing physicians to adjust medications.
Patients can receive their medication up to two weeks earlier than when they fill at an outside specialty pharmacy.
The new pharmacy offers so much more than its effect on our financial bottom line. We remain steadfastly committed to ensuring every patient has access to modern, efficient, high quality and convenient pharmacy care.
Sincerely,
David Miller, M.D.
President,
University of Michigan Health