Specialty Pharmacy Collaboration Drives Patient Care Innovation | Asembia AXS25

As innovative therapies and an aging population fuel rapid expansion in the pharmacy market, health systems are turning to integrated data strategies and collaborative partnerships to address rising costs and improve care delivery, according to a panel of experts at Asembia’s AXS25 Summit.

In a session titled “Collaboration in Action: Uniting Payers, Manufacturers, and IDNs [integrated delivery networks],” industry leaders explored the $265 billion specialty pharmaceutical landscape, emphasizing the urgent need for pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reform, improved patient adherence and data sharing to support value-based care. On the panel were Stephen J. Davis, Pharm.D., vice president, health system experience and strategy, Shields Health Solutions; Kim Tedesco, director of gene and cell operations, Walgreens Cell and Gene Services; Joshua Weber, Pharm.D., MBA, director, specialty and home delivery pharmacy services, UVA Health; and Bruce Wilson, vice president, U.S. oncology care and access, AstraZeneca.

With challenges, opportunities knock

Specialty pharmacies and their patients face an array of complex challenges, including shifting policy landscapes related to the Inflation Reduction Act and possible pharmacy benefit manager reforms, increased reimbursement and payment pressures, and the intricacies of managing high-cost, complex therapies, noted the panelists. Barriers to access and the need for long-term monitoring complicate care delivery for patients

These challenges present opportunities for innovation. Panelists at the session emphasized the potential to transform stakeholder relationships from transactional to patient-centric, leveraging data analytics to track patient journeys and outcomes. Integrated service models, centers of excellence for advanced therapies such as cell and gene treatments, and the use of remote monitoring and artificial intelligence (AI) are poised to improve care delivery.

IDNs have significantly reshaped the health care landscape, now employing 70% of physicians in the U.S., a dramatic shift from just a decade ago. Successful engagement now demands early, data-driven outreach to both executive leaders and frontline clinicians, supported by real-world evidence and aligned with the IDN’s strategic priorities, Greg Skalicky, president and chief revenue officer at EVERSANA, said in a 2024 interview with Pharmaceutical Executive.^® With centralized data, streamlined care coordination and enhanced operational efficiency, IDNs offer opportunities to improve access, outcomes, and affordability, Skalikcy said.

Joshua Weber, Pharm.D., MBA

The panelists agreed that advancing patient education and adherence support, along with outcomes-based reimbursement models, can help align incentives and improve both clinical and financial results. Success, they said, hinges on deep collaboration across manufacturers, IDNs, payers, and pharmacists.

“IDNs are critical infrastructure… It’s to really do value-based care,” said Weber. “You need that data, you need that integrated service model that we offer, both from a pharmaceutical industry perspective, but also from a payer perspective."

Access to cell and gene therapy

Access to cell and gene therapies remains a significant hurdle, with only 20% of eligible patients currently receiving these potentially life-changing treatments, the panel told the Asembia audience. Geographic barriers are often an issue, with some patients living 700 miles away from a treatment center.

Another obstacle for people with rare diseases is prolonged delay in arriving at an accurate diagnosis. The panelists said the delays can be as long as five years. Other sources say it can be much longer.

Meanwhile, the number of FDA-approved cell and gene therapies is growing. Currently there are approximately 50. The infrastructure and coordination needed to deliver these advanced treatments remain limited.

Kim Tedesco

"I think with cell and gene, the collaboration piece is absolutely critical, and I think it takes all pillars within healthcare to kind of lean into this to solve our problems,” said Tedesco. “Everybody's going to be seeing the same problem, so might as well work together to get it across the line.”

Improving access will require better diagnostic tools, expanded treatment networks and streamlined coordination among providers, payers and manufacturers to ensure timely, equitable care for all patients.

“If you can't actually get the drug, well, it could be because [you’re] 700 miles from a facility that can actually administer the product,” explained AstraZeneca’s Wilson. “Philosophically, you have to ask yourself, ‘OK, the drug exists, but I can't actually get it because I can't get access to; it doesn't really matter that it exists.’”

Value-based care and data sharing

In the evolving landscape of specialty pharmacy, data is the critical currency enabling value-based care. However, the challenge lies not in data collection alone, but in transforming raw information into actionable insights that improve outcomes and reduce costs, noted the speakers. Structured data collection, advanced analytics, and AI-driven models — including natural language processing — are essential tools to interpret patient journeys and uncover opportunities for intervention. Predictive analytics can enhance adherence, while data visualization helps pharmaceutical companies and payers see the full impact of treatments across both medical and pharmacy benefits. Ultimately, success in value-based care depends on turning data into meaningful insights that demonstrate real-world value and support more effective, patient-centered decision-making.

“Data without insight is just another silo that we create,” said UVA Health’s Weber. “How do you visualize data? How do you use data to do predictive data analytics?”