Genoa Healthcare’s Rita Schille, PharmD, says starting a new medication is one thing. But staying on it is another.
For people living with severe and persistent mental health conditions like schizophrenia, beginning a new treatment often comes with questions, concerns and day-to-day challenges. Genoa’s New to Therapy program helps consumers navigate that transition.
We sat down with Rita Schille, PharmD, Associate Director of Pharmaceutical Program Management, to learn more about how the program supports consumers and providers during treatment initiation.
Q: What’s the New to Therapy Program?
Genoa's New to Therapy Program is designed to help people navigate the transition from receiving a prescription to making treatment part of their daily lives. Through the program, specially trained clinical pharmacists answer questions, help address challenges and support consumers as they adjust to a new medication, while keeping providers informed along the way.
Q: How does it work?
Genoa consumers initiating certain specialty medications, including Austedo, Ingrezza, Caplyta, Cobenfy and Invega, are eligible to participate in our New to Therapy program.* Depending on the medication, program requirements and each consumer’s treatment journey, Genoa pharmacists proactively connect with consumers by phone for 4 to 12 months after treatment initiation. During these check-ins, pharmacists answer questions, provide education, address potential barriers and help consumers understand what to expect throughout treatment. The goal is to help consumers stay engaged with their care while giving providers greater visibility into how treatment is progressing and any barriers that may arise along the way.
Q: Can you share an example of the program’s impact?
Absolutely. The New to Therapy program recently supported one consumer as they started taking Austedo, a medication used to treat movement disorders associated with tardive dyskinesia (TD). Throughout treatment, our clinical pharmacists guided them through the medication initiation process, monitored progress and coordinated with the care team to help prevent any gaps in treatment. The consumer completed therapy initiation successfully, tolerated the medication well and reported that their TD movements had completely resolved. For many people, proactive outreach and support can make all the difference.
Q: How does the program help improve medication adherence?
We know there are many factors that can impact adherence. Some barriers are clinical, while others are financial, social or logistical. Rather than waiting for challenges to arise, our clinical pharmacists proactively reach out to consumers to identify and address potential barriers before they lead to missed doses or treatment discontinuation. During regular check-ins, pharmacists answer questions, provide education and help address concerns related to medication use, side effects, affordability, access and other factors that can affect long-term treatment success. Data from Genoa's New to Therapy Program shows that participating consumers experience a 20% increase in adherence at month 12 compared to consumers who did not participate in the program.
Q: How do Genoa’s clinical pharmacists work with providers?
Our clinical pharmacists serve as an extension of the care team throughout the treatment journey. When consumers report adherence concerns, barriers to treatment, significant side effects or other clinical issues, pharmacists communicate those findings with the appropriate health care provider. This closed-loop approach helps ensure providers have timely visibility into challenges that could affect treatment success and allows for earlier intervention when needed.
Q: What would you want providers to know about the New to Therapy Program?
Starting a new treatment can be a critical time for consumers. Through proactive outreach, clinical expertise and close collaboration with providers, the New to Therapy Program is designed to help consumers stay engaged with treatment and get the most from their therapy.