Donovan Quill, President and CEO, Optime Care, article featured in Healthcare Business Today on August 18, 2021.

Many patients with rare pulmonary diseases have found it difficult to get much-needed therapy adherence support while also dealing with elevated stressors due to being immunosuppressed, conscious of infection and hypersensitive to viral threats. COVID-19 can cause lung complications, such as pneumonia and, in the most severe cases, acute respiratory distress syndrome. As a complication of COVID-19, sepsis can also cause lasting harm to the lungs and other organs. 

 During these challenging times, a patient-first approach has been critical for addressing the unique healthcare coordination needs of these vulnerable patients, helping them to avoid transmission of infection with a proactive, process-driven telehealth program.  

 This article highlights a patient-first approach for overcoming the limitations of the standard specialty pharmacy, which often emphasizes technology solutions rather than fully addressing human needs and variability.