NASP plans new specialty pharmacy practice parameters

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A professional organization for specialty pharmacy plans to develop pharmacy practice parameters in about 20 therapeutic categories focused on disease management.

The National Association of Specialty Pharmacy said Thursday that each disease category has specific requirements allowing for appropriate intake, clinical management, fulfillment and outcomes, and this spectrum of responsible care, based on peer-reviewed and accepted standards, leads to better patient outcomes and appropriate evidence for manufacturers, payers and providers. The group said it expected the healthcare community to incorporate the parameters into patient registries that will be utilized across the country, allowing access to product and payment information as the industry evolves.

"Our goal as an organization is to establish practice parameters that encompass clinical guidelines, existing standards and measures, benefit design, as well as management and information technology to measure adherence and outcomes," NASP CEO Gary Cohen said. "We will collaborate with other stakeholders to utilize existing and emerging guidelines and adapt them to the specific needs of the specialty pharmacy community. Specialty pharmacists are playing a more integral role in the collaborative care model and will be a key driver of successful patient outcomes. It is important that we develop practice parameters through consensus panels with key opinion leaders and subject matter experts."

NASP said it would incorporate information from such organizations as URAQ and the Pharmacy Quality Alliance. The group will also engage various audiences — such as specialty pharmacists, drug makers, specialty pharmacy executives, payers, reimbursement consultants, disease-specific organizations and patient advocacy groups — to complete the project, parameters of which will include information technology, adherence and outcomes metrics.