LAUSR

Background: The University of Rochester (UR) Specialty Pharmacy hepatitis C patient management program offers a unique advantage of being integrated within the same health system as the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) Gastroenterology and Hepatology division. Objective: The primary purpose of this study was to assess treatment success through the incidence of achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) in patients served by the UR Specialty Pharmacy versus other nonintegrated pharmacies. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective cohort study in adult patients of URMC Gastroenterology and Hepatology prescribed hepatitis C treatment between January 1, 2014, and July 15, 2015. The incidence of SVR, adherence, delay in therapy initiation, early treatment discontinuation, rate of attainment of viral load measurement post–therapy completion, and predictors associated with treatment outcome were assessed. Results: A total of 414 patients were prescribed hepatitis C virus treatment during the study period; 137 did not initiate therapy. The rate of SVR was 93% among patients at the UR Specialty Pharmacy and 89% at nonintegrated pharmacies (P = 0.357). Adherence to therapy was 100% and 97% at the UR Specialty Pharmacy and nonintegrated pharmacies, respectively (P = 0.046). Conclusions: The UR Specialty Pharmacy was associated with a 93% SVR rate and significantly greater adherence compared with nonintegrated pharmacies. Larger studies are needed to determine if a significant difference in SVR exists between integrated and nonintegrated pharmacies. This study provides a framework for other institutions to justify developing integrated hepatitis C specialty pharmacy services and evaluate their success.