The Apothecary Shops launches pilot program to improve chronic disease treatment outcomes

PHOENIX Any person with a chronic condition must keep up with medication regimens, but that is especially true for people with chronic viral infections.

Viral hepatitis – particularly hepatitis B and C – is a leading cause of liver cancer and need for liver transplants, and more than 4 million Americans carry one of the strains, in addition to those who don’t know they’re infected.

On Thursday, specialty pharmacy The Apothecary Shops launched a pilot program at its 17 pharmacies in seven states that offers free, ongoing contact with patients and their physicians, counseling, depression screening and injection training in order to keep patients on their medications and improve treatment outcomes.

“Our goal is to be very hands-on, provide patients with 24-hour access to a pharmacist and be a close partner with their clinicians,” Apothecary Shops VP clinical affairs Eric Sredzinski said. “With 10 specialty practices that include solid organ transplant and oncology, this effort fits well into the disease specialties we’re managing now. At the same time, we’re looking to work with our manufacturers and our payer partners to demonstrate that having a high-touch relationship with patients and their physicians can actually produce positive outcomes.”