Specialty Pharmacy vs. Retail Pharmacy: What’s the Difference?
To understand the difference between specialty and retail pharmacies, it’s important to first understand the difference between specialty and traditional medications.
Understanding specialty vs. traditional medications
Specialty medications typically meet several of the following criteria:
• Higher cost than traditional medications
• Used to treat complex, chronic, or rare conditions
• Require special handling and/or have sensitive storage requirements
• May have limited access or mandate a limited distribution network
• Require ongoing clinical management such as frequent dosing adjustments, intensive clinical monitoring, extensive patient training and education, compliance issues, complicated treatment regimens, or manufacturer reporting requirements
Specialty drugs represent the fastest growing sector of pharmacy spending today. What qualifies a specific drug or therapy to be classified as a specialty pharmaceutical is not clearly defined, as there is no industry standard definition for specialty drugs.
All pharmacies strive to provide the best individualized patient care.
The key differences between specialty pharmacies and retail pharmacies are the conditions treated, types of medications dispensed, and the processes of getting those medications to patients.
Specialty medications are typically shipped directly to patients, prescribers’ offices, or infusion centers for administration. Specialty pharmacies ensure patient safety by conducting drug utilization reviews and counseling patients via medication therapy management programs. At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, our clinical programs facilitate pharmacist counseling, drive adherence, and focus on the complete care of each individual patient.
Specialty pharmacists often require additional training than retail pharmacists
Specialty pharmacists have additional training and education in dispensing specialty medications in order to help care for patients with complex, chronic conditions or rare diseases. Retail pharmacists typically dispense drugs used to treat more common diseases or acute conditions.
All pharmacists must remain lifelong learners and are required to pursue continuing education to maintain their license(s) and current on changes in pharmaceutical science, health policies, and current clinical research. Many pharmacists seek further post-graduate training and specialization through residencies or fellowships, such as the Program Year (PGY) 1 residency program AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy offers in collaboration with Duquesne University’s Mylan School of Pharmacy in Pittsburgh, PA.
Retail pharmacists may seek additional credentialing such as the Board Certified Ambulatory Care Pharmacist (BCACP) designation from the Board of Pharmacy Specialties, which validates the pharmacist has the advanced knowledge and experience to optimize therapy for ambulatory patients who administer medications themselves or with the assistance of a caregiver.
Specialty pharmacists also often pursue additional types of qualifications such as the Certified Specialty Pharmacist (CSP) credential offered by the National Association of Specialty Pharmacies (NASP) or board certification for a specific area of expertise. Specialty pharmacists are responsible for in-depth expert knowledge in many chronic, complex disease states and an extensive understanding of the specialized medications used to treat patients living with these conditions.
Specialty pharmacists at AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy
At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, we have more than 300 pharmacists who support patients for both our home delivery and specialty pharmacies. In addition to helping ensure medications are shipped correctly and on time, they help patients navigate the healthcare system, identify ways to live a healthy lifestyle, and provide a caring face for those going through challenging times that accompany living with a chronic or rare condition.
Our pharmacists pride themselves in walking alongside patients throughout their care journey. Our dedicated therapy teams work collaboratively with providers to monitor side effects and maintain adherence. And, our Specialty360 Therapy Teams provide personalized care to patients, enabling us to improve patient outcomes and speed-to-therapy. We understand that specialty medications can be expensive – that’s why our specialty pharmacists work closely with drug manufacturers and patient assistance groups to identify ways to help ease copay costs so patients can begin their prescribed therapy as soon as possible. In fact, AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy has connected patients to over $600 million in financial assistance.
Regardless of their area of expertise, all pharmacists are an important part of a patient’s healthcare team, and are available to answer questions patients may have about their medication, treatment plan, and side effects.
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