Reducing Costs and Increasing Care for Specialty Patients: Q&A with Tim Affeldt

Tim Affeldt
President
HOSP Alliance

The Health System Owned Specialty Pharmacy Alliance (HOSP) works to reduce costs and increase availability of care for specialty patients. The groups’s president, Tim Affeldt, spoke with Pharmaceutical Executive about the group’s current efforts.

Pharmaceutical Executive: What are the main issues HOSP is focused on at the moment?
Tim Affeldt: Right now, the HOSP Alliance is focused on several key issues shaping the future of health system specialty pharmacy. Advocacy remains a top priority, particularly in protecting the 340B program, advancing PBM reform, and ensuring that the Inflation Reduction Act supports patient access to critical therapies. We are also deepening collaboration with industry partners on projects targeting clinical, disease or drug-specific topics that showcase the value of the health system specialty pharmacy model and the measurable outcomes it delivers for patients and providers. In addition, we are committed to best practice sharing across our membership, helping health systems strengthen their specialty pharmacy programs and continually improve the quality of care they provide.

PE: How are specialty pharmacies crucial for providing patients with the best care?
Affeldt: Specialty pharmacies play a vital role in ensuring patients with complex and chronic conditions receive the best possible care. Unlike traditional pharmacies, specialty pharmacies are uniquely equipped to dispense high-cost, high-touch medications that require special handling, administration, or monitoring. These therapies often represent the most advanced treatments available, and specialty pharmacies ensure patients can access them safely and efficiently. By coordinating with prescribers, payers, and manufacturers, specialty pharmacies help accelerate time to start therapy, bridging the gap between innovative medicine and the patients who need it most.

Beyond medication access, specialty pharmacies provide the personalized support that is essential for patient success. They offer comprehensive services such as education on proper medication use, adherence programs, side effect management, and financial counseling. These services are critical for patients navigating complicated treatment regimens, where even small lapses in adherence can impact outcomes. Specialty pharmacies serve as an extension of the care team, ensuring patients feel supported and empowered throughout their treatment journey.

PE: How can specialty pharmacies play a role in lowering drug costs?
Affeldt: Specialty pharmacies play a critical role in lowering drug costs by helping patients, providers, and payers navigate the financial complexities surrounding high-cost therapies. These pharmacies are often able to negotiate with manufacturers, connect patients with copay assistance programs, and optimize insurance benefits to ensure that out-of-pocket costs are reduced. By taking on the responsibility of coordinating these resources, specialty pharmacies prevent patients from abandoning treatment due to affordability challenges, while also minimizing financial waste in the healthcare system.

In addition to financial support, specialty pharmacies help control costs by improving adherence and ensuring therapies are used correctly. When patients take their medications as prescribed, the likelihood of disease progression, hospitalizations, and costly complications is significantly reduced. Specialty pharmacies provide ongoing monitoring, education, and follow-up care that keep patients on track with their treatment, which leads to better outcomes and lowers the overall cost burden on the healthcare system.

PE: What is HOSP’s five-year-plan?
Affeldt: Over the next five years, the HOSP Alliance is focused on expanding our advocacy presence and becoming the go-to source of trusted information on the value and impact of the health system specialty pharmacy model. At the same time, we are working closely with industry partners to implement multiple projects that demonstrate the tangible results this model can deliver for patients, providers, and the healthcare system at large. A key part of our growth strategy also includes expanding our membership, ensuring a broader and more diverse base of voices to advance our mission and amplify the benefits of health system specialty pharmacy nationwide.