CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy Team Helps Member with Social Needs

Our members who require specialty medications may also have unique social needs. Specialty medications often require special handling and are not available at your local pharmacy. They are used to treat complex or rare conditions, such as cancer, HIV or autoimmune diseases. Which specialty pharmacy supplies a medication may depend upon insurance coverage, the medication itself or consumer choice.

When David, a Humana member who was already a customer of CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy, was hospitalized, he was prescribed an oral specialty medication to take once he went home. To help David learn more about the medication, CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy pharmacist, Emily Pardi, spoke with him on the phone. During their conversation, Emily listened to David’s story and realized that his situation was quite complicated, and he faced several significant unmet needs.

Living with multiple health conditions and now starting a new medication, David shared with Emily that he was depressed, feeling isolated and struggling with homelessness and lack of food. David needed help. Emily referred David's case to one of CenterWell's social workers.

Laura Arce, a CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy social worker, reached out to David after he was discharged from the hospital. Laura discovered that David’s income is very limited, and he does not get food stamps. David does have family living nearby, but is reluctant to seek help from his daughters because he fears being a burden to them.

After David pays bills with his limited social security income, he cannot afford to buy food. Laura shared several resources with David where he could seek local assistance with food and housing. When CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy registered nurse, Aarika Lawrence, followed up with David to see how he was doing with the new medication and to answer any questions he might have, David expressed appreciation for the calls and the food that he received from a local food pantry.

The collaboration between our pharmacy, social work and nursing teams was swift and occurred over the course of a month. Moving forward our CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy clinical team will continue to track and monitor David to follow his continued success.

When a multi-disciplinary team provides whole-person support to our members, we all benefit.

CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy manages therapies for chronic and complex illnesses. Patients receive clinical and educational services customized to their individual needs and treatment goals. While a subsidiary of Humana, CenterWell Specialty Pharmacy provides service to people who have pharmaceutical coverage with other insurance companies.

Other providers and pharmacies are available in the Humana network.