Manage a Successful Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in 2018

The healthcare market continues to be dynamic. IDN's continue to grow and encompass more hospitals. Discussing Antibiotic Stewardship has become more important and must include all stakeholders, including industry, hospitals, KOL's and Value Based Patient Care.

Concord, United States - April 3, 2018 /PressCable/ —

Many organizations such as the CDC recommend that all acute care hospitals in the United States, have an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) in place. Additionally, the American Hospital Association has identified ASP as one of the Top 5 areas for improvement in hospital resources. The Joint Commission has come out with standards for all sites of patient care.

In 2018, hospitals will need to comply with CMS standards and reimbursement will be based on these standards.

Customer models are becoming more complex than ever. Fred J. Pane, Pharmacy Consultant, has taken time to highlight key strategies to Managing a Successful Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in 2018, including perspectives from both Industry and Healthcare Providers.

Industry (pharmaceutical companies) is dealing with larger customer models, such as Integrated Delivery Networks (IDN’s), who are restricting access and influence from the local/regional hospital level, to a corporate or national Formulary decision making process for all drugs, including antibiotics.

In fact, some IDN’s will not even meet with industry to discuss products.

IDN’s prefer to do their own research and make their own decisions.

The complexity of the IDNs and the need to create a “One size doesn’t fit all approach to business” makes it difficult for industry to develop market access strategies, sales and marketing plans, medical science need and forecasting upon FDA drug approval.

In a study, conducted by Fred Pane and Dr. David Nash from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, on Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committees, it was determined it took an average of 3-6 months to approve a drug for Formulary use. Additionally, several IDN’s were willing to share their approval process.

Along with understanding provider complexity, there is the need to understand the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program models being implemented by hospitals.

Industry is asking these three questions:

1. How can industry work with hospitals with Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs?

2. How can industry become part of the ASP Solution in managing antimicrobial use across the continuum of care?

3. What is the best way to present industry’s antimicrobial information to the ASP?

As a result, Industry has to alter their approach to personnel needs.

One of the most important people to be hired by a pharmaceutical company today, is the Point of Access (POA) Leader.

The Point of Access Leader should understand seven (7) key issues to launch a successful antibiotic launch:

1. Must know the Top 50-100 IDN Accounts

2. Must know the access points and at what level to interact (Corporate IDN level, groups of hospitals or single hospital).

3. Know the Key Opinion Leaders, including names, titles, and contact information (if an antibiotic, meet with a member of the ASP, most likely a Stewardship Pharmacist)

4. Schedule an appointment with the KOL. If unavailable, have an alternative strategy.

5. Prepare the required information for Formulary consideration

6. Know the necessary contracting options, including GPO contract, IDN contract, Direct Contract or a Value Based Contract for providers in the health system.

7. Know the technology used by the IDN in microbiology, Physician Order Entry, and existing Antimicrobial Stewardship platform

These are just a few areas of importance to be managed by the POA Leader.

The POA Leader will need to work with the industry’s Market Access team, Sales and Marketing, Medical Science, Contracting, and Supply Distribution to represent the needs and special requests of the provider. Ultimately the outcome should be win-win, especially if the POA Leader is able to coordinate the role of all stakeholders in using an anti-infective as an integral part of the ASP Model. It becomes especially worthwhile, if industry can introduce a Value Based Patient Care model.

Together, innovation and creativity can result in a viable Antibiotic Stewardship Program that benefits all stakeholders, including the patient.

This article is available in video format.

Contact Fred Pane at fredjpane@gmail.com for more information.

Contact Info:
Name: Fred J. Pane
Email: fredjpane@gmail.com
Organization: Fred Pane Consulting
Address: 683 Georgetown Drive Northwest, Concord, NC 28027, United States
Phone: +1-704-564-1409

For more information, please visit http://www.linkedin.com/in/fredpane

Source: PressCable

Release ID: 324038