How Analytics and AI Are Transforming Specialty Pharmacy Through Cost Control and Quality Care | Asembia's AXS25 Summit

Kathi Henson, senior vice president of patient services, nursing and quality at Orsini, sat down with Managed Healthcare Executive at this year’s Asembia Specialty Pharmacy Summit in Las Vegas to speak about how data, analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping the specialty pharmacy industry.

Specialty pharmacy deals with high-cost, high-touch medications that usually require personalized care and close monitoring.

According to Henson, analytics play a significant role in optimizing clinical programs.

For example, by collecting and analyzing patient data, healthcare teams can adjust interventions to improve outcomes.

Henson expressed the importance of using real-time data to both inform and refine these programs based on patient response.

“Using as much information as we can not only to create the most beneficial and impactful clinical programs but also then taking the data that we collect when we're managing those programs with patients to help improve the patient's outcomes,” she said.

The growing use of AI is also driving change. Henson said that AI allows providers to analyze data faster and more effectively, helping them respond to patient needs more precisely.

It also improves operational efficiency by helping prioritize which patients need the most attention.

With medications that can be complex and conditions that vary from person to person, this kind of personalization is key, she said.

“It allows us, I think, to take that information and basically direct the human resources to the patients that actually need that care the most,” she said.

Cost control is another major challenge in specialty pharmacy.

Henson noted that while AI and analytics can’t replace the human element in healthcare, they can help direct clinical resources where they’re most needed.

That means providers can focus more time and energy on higher-risk patients while avoiding unnecessary interventions for those who are stable.

By identifying patient risks earlier and adapting care accordingly, healthcare teams can not only improve quality but also manage spending more effectively.

As the specialty pharmacy field continues to evolve, tools such as AI and advanced analytics are becoming essential. They’re pushing providers to personalize care, improve outcomes and do so with greater efficiency, which benefits both patients and the healthcare system as a whole.