A day in the life of an Optum specialty pharmacist

At Optum® Specialty Pharmacy, every patient interaction is an opportunity to deliver more than medication. Specialty pharmacists also provide compassionate, expert support for patients navigating the complexities of specialty care. They collaborate with clinicians to ensure safety, medication adherence and the best possible outcomes. 

For Ronda Wenzel, PharmD, RPH, CSP, a specialty pharmacist at Optum, this means going beyond the prescription by:

• Reviewing medical histories
• Educating patients
• Identifying potential drug interactions
• Supporting patients through side effects
• Connecting patients with financial resources

Recently, Wenzel was talking with a patient who was about to receive Camzyos® (mavacamten), a medication for obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It was a routine call — until it wasn't.

Wenzel reviewed the patient's medications, including over-the-counter (OTC) drugs she took. Next, Wenzel asked whether the patient planned to take any protein pump inhibitors, such as Nexium (esomeprazole) or Prilosec (omeprazole). They can cause Camzyos to build to dangerous levels, risking heart failure.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you this," the patient replied. "But I've been having some GERD recently, and I got some omeprazole. I took 3 doses earlier this week."

Wenzel promptly instructed the patient to discontinue taking omeprazole and discard it. She suggested some OTC medications the patient could safely take.

Cinician knows that teamwork stitches together the safety net  critical to patient care. Wenzel and her pharmacist colleagues at Optum Specialty Pharmacy are part of your care team. They work to advance patient care and safety while lowering the administrative burden on you and your staff. 

Wenzel has had advanced training to become a specialist in several complex conditions treated with specialty medications: 

• Cystic fibrosis
• Heart failure
• Hereditary angioedema
• Multiple sclerosis
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Pulmonary hypertension

Not only do Wenzel and her colleagues complete continuing education required to maintain their pharmacy licenses, they also do at least 30 hours of additional continuing education in specialty medications every 2 years. Optum also provides pharmacists with regular updates on new medications and their use.

In daily consultations with patients, Wenzel sees that clinicians’ treatment plans are being followed by asking questions to confirm that patients (and often their caretakers) understand:

• Their goals in taking the medication
• When and how to take it 
• What to do if they miss a dose
• Contraindications that could cause harm
• Possible side effects 
• Storage and disposal guidelines

Patient consultations make up most of Wenzel's day, but she may also communicate with clinicians to clarify prescribed doses, quantities and refill schedules. In most cases, these communications are brief, and medication is shipped as directed by the clinicians. 

In rare cases, the additional level of pharmacist confirmation serves as a safety check — for example, when a prescription is off-label for the patient’s condition or raises a question for the pharmacist. It also supports Optum Specialty Pharmacy's focus on high-quality documentation of clinicians' orders, so pharmacists are armed with the information they need to answer patients’ questions.

Recently, a patient called from his bathroom: He was experiencing gastrointestinal distress, a side effect of his pulmonary fibrosis medication. He had also received an anti-diarrheal medication. 

Wenzel explained how much anti-diarrheal medication he could take daily. She also contacted the clinician's office to suggest that the patient might need some help managing the side effects.

In another case, Wenzel took a call from a patient with hereditary angioedema, a rare genetic disorder that causes painful swelling and can be fatal if the swelling blocks the airway. Wenzel could hear the patient continually clearing her throat.

Understanding the potential threat to the patient's health, Wenzel quickly collaborated with the patient’s provider and others at Optum Specialty Pharmacy to obtain a new prescription and secure insurance approval for a claim to resupply the medication.

Optum Specialty Pharmacy is committed to simplifying a healthcare system that is fragmented, administratively complex and often confusing to patients. We do that in a variety of ways, including:

• 24/7 pharmacist availability to field questions from patients and caretakers
• Electronic prior authorization (PA) through the CoverMyMeds® platform
• Staff dedicated to helping you appeal insurance denials   
• Resources for patients who need financial assistance
• Simple refill procedures and reminders to improve patient adherence
• A Specialty Pharmacy Provider Portal where you can check on and view patient adherence, initiate appeals, view PAs that are expiring, chat with our clinical team and more

For you and fellow clinicians, this means: 

• A partner who reinforces your clinical intent and helps keep patients on therapy
• Fewer medication-related complications from patient misuse or nonadherence
• Fewer calls to your office for clarification about prescriptions
• Lower administrative burden from PAs and appeals
• A safer, more predictable treatment experience for patients