OSF HealthCare opens Specialty Pharmacy
OSF HealthCare held a Blessing for the new OSF Special Pharmacy and Integrated Distribution Center, located in the Franciscan Prairie Building on W. War Memorial Drive in Peoria on March 30.
“OSF Specialty Pharmacy is the only physical specialty pharmacy in the tri-county area to provide specialty medications for multiple complex or chronic disease states, allowing the patients the choice of picking up their prescription without having to go to a remote location by FedEx or UPS,” says Jerry Storm, Senior Vice President of Pharmacy Services at OSF HealthCare. “There is not another full-service Specialty Pharmacy in Peoria. Patients will have the ability to come on-site to pick it up. Most Specialty Pharmacies are located out of town.”
The OSF Specialty Pharmacy will supply medications across the 15-hospital OSF HealthCare Ministry. These drugs cover patients who are facing all kinds of different disease. The prescriptions could be for patients with arthritis, gastrointestinal issues, neurological disorders, and much more.
“This new service for our patients in need of specialty medications is an example of our dedication to improve specialty pharmacy care, one patient at a time, through educational, clinical, financial and service excellence,” said Sister Diane Marie McGrew, O.S.F. “We know that specialty drugs can be complicated. That’s why we have established this service to provide our patients with the highest level of custom care and to make sure they have the guidance, clarity and peace of mind to manage their condition well and live a healthier, happier life.
Additionally, specialty medications are typically expensive, but OSF is committed to minimizing costs to patients by working with insurance and maximizing manufacturer support programs. This groundbreaking resource will enable OSF caregivers to take even better care of patients.
Storm says the impact of the OSF Specialty Pharmacy will mainly impact Illinoisans initially, but it could also benefit those across state lines.
“We can service any pharmacy in Illinois. With the wraparound pharmacies, we can service sites outside of Illinois such as Indiana. We might have Mission Partners who work in Danville, but work in Indiana. We can still service them,” Storm says. “We will make every effort to take care of manufacturer discounts and assistance programs. There’s coupons that a lot of manufacturers will offer to drive those costs down.”
That Integrated Pharmacy Distribution Center, which is adjacent to the Specialty Pharmacy, is the central distribution center for all medications used throughout the OSF HealthCare Ministry and how OSF was able to safely store and distribute COVID-19 vaccines throughout the pandemic.