Healthcare platform Signify Health is collaborating with pharmaceutical distributor Cardinal Health to provide in-home clinical and management services to Medicare members, the companies announced Monday.
Dallas-based Signify Health is a home health company with a network of more than 11,000 clinicians. It is pending an $8 billion acquisition from CVS Health for its strength in home care. Cardinal Health, based in Dublin, Ohio, is a distributor of pharmaceuticals and medical and laboratory products. Its Outcomes business provides digital solutions for pharmacists, payers and pharmaceutical companies, including a platform called OutcomesOne, which helps address medication management.
Through the partnership, Signify Health clinicians will be able to use the OutcomesOne platform and perform an in-home, CMS-compliant medication review to determine which members are not taking their medications as prescribed and address those needs. Cardinal’s Outcomes business contracts with most of the largest Medicare health insurers. Two-thirds of these insurers’ members qualify for Signify’s in-home clinical services. Outcomes identifies which patients qualify for the medication review and Signify’s in-home evaluation, and then sends a patient list to Signify along with who has scheduled or will schedule an appointment. During the appointment, Signify will conduct the medication review, which helps patients understand their medications and identifies those who have any medication-related problems.
After the visit, the patient receives a summary letter that can be used as a resource in the future with providers.
Typically, Outcome’s medication review is performed through its network of retail pharmacies and telephonic outreach, said Fran Gregory, vice president of Cardinal Health.
“This relationship really builds upon Outcomes’ goal of providing a multi-channel, patient-focused experience,” Gregory said in an interview. “So really providing the service to a patient in the most convenient and clinically appropriate way possible.”
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
David Pierre, chief operating officer of Signify Health, added that this collaboration is especially beneficial for Medicare members, who often struggle with medication adherence.
“We see millions of unique seniors in the comfort of their homes and one of the largest things that we see is how difficult and complex it is for the seniors to manage their medications,” Pierre said in an interview. “It’s often very time-consuming for them, it’s often risky. This partnership, our ability to do the comprehensive medication review in the comfort of their homes really is a benefit and a value-add for the members, as well as provides additional information to our clients.”
Indeed, a lot of adults struggle with taking their medication. About 90% of older adults are taking any prescription medication, with 54% taking four or more prescription drugs. About 50% of Americans don’t take their chronic long-term medications correctly.
The partnership between Signify and Cardinal will serve Outcomes’ Medicare Advantage clients who are also clients of Signify Health, and may expand to other services in the future. The companies declined to share the business model of the collaboration.
In working together, Gregory said Cardinal Health hopes to reach more patients to deliver better outcomes for its health plan clients. Signify Health aims to improve member experience, as well as focus on long-term goals like reducing costs and emergency department visits, Pierre said.
“In this partnership, we’re going to see demonstrable outcomes that will help not only those members, but also our clients, the health plans, really improve their star ratings and address gaps in care,” Pierre said.
Photo: Stas_V, Getty Images
