STI Launches Solution for Patient Assistance Program Providers

Making the specialty drug market more accessible to patients

HALIFAX, Oct. 13 /CNW/ - STI, Canada's leader in transactional marketing solutions to the Canadian healthcare market, announced today the launch of its innovative solution for Patient Assistance Program Providers, based on the STI SmartTechnology™ platform.  This solution, the first of its kind available in Canada, is currently being used by a leading provider of physician and patient assistance programs that are revolutionizing the specialty drug market.

Patient Assistance Program Providers in Canada focus on creating a cost effective model of financial assistance for the delivery of high cost specialty medications, along with compassionate medical attention to qualified patients.  The average cost of these specialty drug medications in 2009 was just under $1,100 per script, while many of these specialty medications have the potential to cost upwards of $100,000 per patient per year. 

"With the high cost of specialty medications, many of my patients are experiencing unforeseen medication costs for products that are making positive health impacts" said Don Kyte, an independent pharmacy owner, in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. "Patient assistance programs help many customers' access medications that they would otherwise not be able to afford."

Historically, distribution of these medications has been limited to a small set of network pharmacies and administration of the programs on a patient-by-patient basis was complex.  When a Patient Assistance Program Provider utilizes STI's platform for drug management, a qualified patient who has been prescribed a high cost specialty medication receives an STI smart card from the patient assistance provider. The patient then takes the card to their local pharmacy to redeem for a predetermined co-pay amount, customized to the patient's individual financial situation. As with all STI solutions, the transaction is processed through STI's adjudication partner, ESI Canada, so the pharmacy receives immediate reimbursement and the patient is free to go to any pharmacy across Canada.

"It is expected that by 2014 specialty medications will account for more than 25% of total drug expenditures in Canada" said Michael Biskey, President, ESI Canada.  "We are pleased to see our partner STI provide a solution for this segment that eliminates the heavy administrative burden that often stands in the way for patients and providers."

For Patient Assistance Program Service Providers, the STI solution fully automates their processes, ensuring the integrity of their financial transactions and providing detailed patient-by-patient transaction insights. This allows the Patient Assistance Program Service Providers to focus on providing superior customer care and the best possible experience for the patient that they are providing services to.

"With greater than 50 percent of the new drugs introduced to the Canadian market in 2009 being specialty drugs and an even greater portion in the pipeline," said Steve Nicolle, STI's CEO, "the application of our SmartTechnology™ platform to solve the challenges faced by patient assistance program service providers couldn't have been better timed".

About STI 

STI (www.SmartSTI.com) is a Halifax, N.S. based company that provides innovative healthcare marketing solutions across the lifecycle of pharmaceutical and device brands, using its SmartTechnology™ platform as the source of real-time transactional intelligence to allow all stakeholders - manufacturer, pharmacy, prescriber, and payer - to optimize their patient relationships. STI has contracted with over 60 customers for a total of over 250 programs in the market to give patients and healthcare providers greater convenience by providing an enhanced pharmacy medication and device reimbursement process that is built on the safe delivery of healthcare through retail pharmacies across Canada.

For further information:

Mary Jane Leslie, Marketing Associate
Tel: [phone]
[email protected]
www.smartSTI.com