General Information
Patient assistance programs are a source of significant revenue that can be credited against drug budgets. They provide a meaningful community service by supplying products to people who currently lack access. Additionally, facilities derive substantial indirect benefit by preventing costly emergency room visits and inpatient admissions. Many health care facilities do not take full advantage of these programs because:
• Pharmaceutical assistance programs have unique eligibility requirements and application procedures which are extensive.
• Implementation lag-time hinders return on the investment of human resources
• Lack of patient/physician cooperation
• Difficulty in identifying the target patient and drug
• Processes for gathering and recording required information are cumbersome
• Diverse sources of information require substantial cross-departmental cooperation that can be difficult to establish