Shields Health Solutions, a specialty pharmacy accelerator in the country, announced that it has partnered with Midland-based MyMichigan Health, a nonprofit health system serving 25 Michigan counties, to collaborate in developing a specialty pharmacy program.
The program will help to meet the unique needs of patients with complex, chronic conditions with access to specialized pharmacy services designed to lower costs, expand treatment options, enhance medication management, and improve overall health.
“By partnering with Shields, our health system is positioned to deliver more consistent positive results with patient populations that require the highest level of expertise and care,” says Bryan Cross, chief operating officer of MyMichigan Health. “We are pleased to join a network of the foremost experts in the health system specialty pharmacy industry and look forward to working with Shields.”
The support services offered by Shields will initially serve MyMichigan Health’s neurology and oncology patients, with plans to expand to additional disease states over the next six months. As part of the collaboration, specialty pharmacy coordinators will work with patients at on-site in clinics, offices, and pharmacies, among other locations, to assist in filling their prescriptions with MyMichigan.
In addition, the coordinators will assist patients and families with a multitude of tasks, including health insurance prior authorizations or securing financial assistance.
The program will be based out of the MyMichigan Medical Center Mt. Pleasant Pharmacy. The program will complement MyMichigan’s already existing pharmacy services, which include employee mail order, Meds to Beds, and other outpatient prescriptions.
These expanded patient support services, combined with access to recently approved and newly available drugs, will give MyMichigan’s patients greater availability for onsite treatment options. Shields currently partners with more than 80 health systems around the country and has helped their patients reduce co-pays, promptly receive medication delivery, often within two days, and improve medication adherence greater than 90 percent on average.
MyMichigan Health provides a full continuum of care across a wide array of settings, including medical centers, urgent care centers, home health, virtual care and medical offices in more than 30 specialties and subspecialties. In 2022, Forbes recognized the health system as one of “America’s Best Employers by State” and its facilities serve more than 900,000 patients annually.
“MyMichigan’s commitment to outstanding care for complex patients aligns well with Shields’ core mission and will make it a highly valued addition to our membership,” says John Lucey, CEO at Shields.
“By securing access to 90 percent of the limited distribution drugs that complex patients need and opening the door to restricted payer networks, our partnership will elevate access to affordable care, while improving therapy management and care coordination for MyMichigan’s patients.”
