Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy Compliance and
Patient Management Guide – Quality, Safety, and
Operational Standards
What is your involvement in Patient Management? ✔✔Patient management involves
prescription dispensing, reimbursement, counseling, and patient clinical care activities we do.
My involvement depends on the role I am assigned for the day.
How do we promote drug adherence? ✔✔During initial counseling, we discuss the importance
of medication compliance, refill reminder calls, recommendations to alleviate any side effects,
and assistance obtaining financial assistance when needed.
How do you collaborate with physicians or other healthcare providers involved in patient care?
✔✔We communicate with patients regularly in person and over the phone. If the patient has any
issues or if we have a recommendation/update we will call or fax their prescriber a
communication.
How do you advocate for a patient's access to drugs? ✔✔We have access to many Limited
Distribution Drugs (LDD) within the Walgreens chain. We also help with prior authorizations
and get patients signed up for financial assistance programs if needed.
How do you help with prior authorizations and appeals? ✔✔We work with the insurance
company and coordinate obtaining documents from the prescribers to help facilitate the
process.
,Can you explain how patient language barriers, cultural beliefs and disabilities are addressed?
✔✔We speak to all patients in a culturally competent manner. We have access to Dial-A-
Pharmacist translator tool via IC+, Voyce Oral Services (855-296-8838) are available for
languages not listed in IC+ and hearing impaired customers. Written Language Translation
Services are available via information on
Pharmacy Translation Services is available at StoreNet> RX > Patient Care> Patient Services>
Translation Services.
If a Patient Emergency Situation arises such as a suicide threat, what would you do? ✔✔Keep
the patient on the phone and signal a team member to call 911 as outlined in our Patient Crisis
and Emergency Situation policy. All other emergency situations are referred to a Pharmacist
immediately.
Can team members explain how we refer patients to external pharmacies if the patients needs
cannot be met? ✔✔In situations where the patient's needs cannot be met by our pharmacy, (ie:
Walgreens out of coverage network) we inform the patient immediately and work to transfer
care to the pharmacy the patient chooses. Transfer logs/records are available from IC+.
How do you offer clinical support or refer a patient to external support groups for help when
needed? ✔✔Information regarding patient support services are available from our staff by
telephone, email, and in person during open hours. A pharmacist is always available to provide
clinical support. When needed, we refer patients to local or national disease support groups.
Our intranet site has a list of support groups to refer to as well as disease state support networks.
, How do you communicate rights and responsibilities to the patient? ✔✔Patient rights and
responsibilities are mailed along with the welcome booklet (excluding HIV patients) and is
managed through Asembia1. These materials are available in print on-site and also posted on our
website for patients who do not want to receive mailing materials.
Explain the prescription intake process. Also, how do you make updates to a patient's profile?
✔✔Describe your main responsibilites during presciption intake and explain that as we become
aware of changes, we update the information in the appropriate fields in the dispensing or patient
management systems.
What type of patient inquiries or situations trigger sending the call to a Pharmacist? ✔✔If the
patient has any issues with the medication (adherance or side effects), clinical questions, or
concerns we have a Pharmacist speak with them.
What is the process for communicating and collecting patient payments? ✔✔Since the majority
of our billing is through on-line adjudication, we have this information and inform the patient
upfront of all charges as much as possible. We discuss and offer Express Pay where payment
information can be safely stored in the system and processed automatically upon their approval.
How do patients receive information on their medication and disease? ✔✔We provide verbal
education and written drug information leaflets. Other information is mailed to the patient in
the Welcome Booklet.
Patient Management Guide – Quality, Safety, and
Operational Standards
What is your involvement in Patient Management? ✔✔Patient management involves
prescription dispensing, reimbursement, counseling, and patient clinical care activities we do.
My involvement depends on the role I am assigned for the day.
How do we promote drug adherence? ✔✔During initial counseling, we discuss the importance
of medication compliance, refill reminder calls, recommendations to alleviate any side effects,
and assistance obtaining financial assistance when needed.
How do you collaborate with physicians or other healthcare providers involved in patient care?
✔✔We communicate with patients regularly in person and over the phone. If the patient has any
issues or if we have a recommendation/update we will call or fax their prescriber a
communication.
How do you advocate for a patient's access to drugs? ✔✔We have access to many Limited
Distribution Drugs (LDD) within the Walgreens chain. We also help with prior authorizations
and get patients signed up for financial assistance programs if needed.
How do you help with prior authorizations and appeals? ✔✔We work with the insurance
company and coordinate obtaining documents from the prescribers to help facilitate the
process.
,Can you explain how patient language barriers, cultural beliefs and disabilities are addressed?
✔✔We speak to all patients in a culturally competent manner. We have access to Dial-A-
Pharmacist translator tool via IC+, Voyce Oral Services (855-296-8838) are available for
languages not listed in IC+ and hearing impaired customers. Written Language Translation
Services are available via information on
Pharmacy Translation Services is available at StoreNet> RX > Patient Care> Patient Services>
Translation Services.
If a Patient Emergency Situation arises such as a suicide threat, what would you do? ✔✔Keep
the patient on the phone and signal a team member to call 911 as outlined in our Patient Crisis
and Emergency Situation policy. All other emergency situations are referred to a Pharmacist
immediately.
Can team members explain how we refer patients to external pharmacies if the patients needs
cannot be met? ✔✔In situations where the patient's needs cannot be met by our pharmacy, (ie:
Walgreens out of coverage network) we inform the patient immediately and work to transfer
care to the pharmacy the patient chooses. Transfer logs/records are available from IC+.
How do you offer clinical support or refer a patient to external support groups for help when
needed? ✔✔Information regarding patient support services are available from our staff by
telephone, email, and in person during open hours. A pharmacist is always available to provide
clinical support. When needed, we refer patients to local or national disease support groups.
Our intranet site has a list of support groups to refer to as well as disease state support networks.
, How do you communicate rights and responsibilities to the patient? ✔✔Patient rights and
responsibilities are mailed along with the welcome booklet (excluding HIV patients) and is
managed through Asembia1. These materials are available in print on-site and also posted on our
website for patients who do not want to receive mailing materials.
Explain the prescription intake process. Also, how do you make updates to a patient's profile?
✔✔Describe your main responsibilites during presciption intake and explain that as we become
aware of changes, we update the information in the appropriate fields in the dispensing or patient
management systems.
What type of patient inquiries or situations trigger sending the call to a Pharmacist? ✔✔If the
patient has any issues with the medication (adherance or side effects), clinical questions, or
concerns we have a Pharmacist speak with them.
What is the process for communicating and collecting patient payments? ✔✔Since the majority
of our billing is through on-line adjudication, we have this information and inform the patient
upfront of all charges as much as possible. We discuss and offer Express Pay where payment
information can be safely stored in the system and processed automatically upon their approval.
How do patients receive information on their medication and disease? ✔✔We provide verbal
education and written drug information leaflets. Other information is mailed to the patient in
the Welcome Booklet.
