Practice-Based Pharmacies and Establishment of the COPA

Some states now allow dispensing of oral anticancer medications via practice-based pharmacies. In this segment, Michael Kolodziej, MD, and Ted Okon, MBA, consider the impact of establishing a dispensing pharmacy within a practice.

Dr Kolodziej remarks that although these pharmacies permit patients to receive their medications at their doctor’s office, barriers and concerns including prior authorizations, co-payment costs, and patient adherence remain. Additionally, small practices are not able to negotiate with payers for volume discounts. Comparative effectiveness research could play an important role in addressing some of these issues, suggests Dr Kolodziej.

Many practices have reached out to the Community Oncology Alliance (COA) looking for support and information about operating pharmacies within their practices, notes Mr Okon. To assist practices, the COA recently established the Community Oncology Pharmacy Association to help establish quality standards, among other goals.