Formulary Decision Makers Say Pharma-Provided Patient Support Solutions Influence Formulary Placement

BURLINGTON, Mass., July 31, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- A substantial share of pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee members—who make decisions about which therapies are included in formularies—say patient support resources from pharma influence formulary placement, according to a new Manhattan Research study, Taking the Pulse® Formulary Decision Makers 2014. The study finds that P&T committee members in hospitals, managed care organizations (MCOs) and pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) have set a high bar for these programs, requiring that patient support solutions demonstrate clinical trial data or evidence of improved outcomes.

Key findings from the Taking the Pulse® Formulary Decision Makers 2014 study include:

• Eighty-seven percent of hospital P&T committee members indicated that pharma-provided patient support or resources would positively impact or have boosted a treatment's formulary placement, while 43% of P&T committee members for MCOs and 47% of those at PBMs agreed.
• Among P&T committee members using pharma patient support tools or indicating that these resources could sway placement decisions, 45% of those at hospitals and 32% of those at MCOs agreed that patient support has the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes.
• Within this group of P&T committee members who have used patient support or who think it would have an impact on formulary placement, over half of hospitals and MCOs require pharma patient support to have clinical trial data or significant evidence that shows clear improvement in patient outcomes.

Comments from Decision Resources Group Analysts:

• "Patient support resources can be the tie-breaker in hospital P&T committee formulary deliberations where products have similar clinical profiles," said Healthcare Analyst Sonu Kori. "Hospitals aggressively looking to cut costs while they improve quality stand to benefit from the patient solutions that some pharmas are developing."
• "These findings are very important for pharmas who are in two minds about innovation and exploring patient support solutions," said Monique Levy, VP of Research.  "When well executed and tested, adherence and other patient support programs can directly impact formulary placement, not just influence softer branding metrics."

About Taking the Pulse ® Formulary Decision Makers

Taking the Pulse® Formulary Decision Makers is a Manhattan Research study designed to address the unique challenges faced by marketers targeting formulary decision makers (P&T committee members) in payer organizations, PBMs and large hospitals. The study explores the formulary and pre-authorization decision making process, as well as how formulary decision makers use the Internet, key digital information sources and other pharma-provided services and tools. Insights are based on an in-depth survey fielded online among 214 P&T committee members from an MCO, PBM or medium to large hospital in March/April 2014.

Key topics addressed in the research include:

• General Technology Profile
• Sources & Types of Information Used in Formulary Decision Making Process
• Healthcare Value-Added Services
• Internet Use for P&T Committee Work
• Interacting with Pharma
• Communication of Medical Information and Committee Decisions
• New Healthcare Models
• Social Networking, Search and Video

For more information, click here.

About Decision Resources Group

Decision Resources Group offers best-in-class, high-value information and insights on critical issues within the healthcare industry. Decision Resources Group's Manhattan Research product line offers insights and analysis on digital health trends among healthcare professionals and consumers in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Find out more at www.manhattanresearch.com and www.DecisionResourcesGroup.com.

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For more information, contact:

Decision Resources Group 
Christopher Comfort 
781-993-2597  
[email protected]

SOURCE Manhattan Research