ZappRx and Bayer partner to improve access to specialty medications

ZappRx is adding therapies from Bayer to its specialty prescription and prior authorization platform for providers. The therapies are for patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension and relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis.

Bayer will gain access to unique data assets around the treatment of these patient populations.

Hundreds of hospitals are using the service, ZappRx said. Hospitals do not pay for individual services. The company instead offers a premium, or what it calls "freemium" model, to individual providers.

Among the benefits, hospitals can manage complex therapy workflows and see prescribing trends and outcomes.

WHY THIS MATTERS

The platform helps providers by reducing the wait time for the prior authorization process, reducing the administrative burden and speeding up the process for patients to get their specialty medications within days, instead of weeks.

Prescribing and prior authorizations are traditionally a manual, paper-based process heavily dependent on fax machines, said
ZappRx, a company that digitizes the process.

Historically, it can take several weeks, or months, for the patient to get their specialty medication, which can lead to hospitalization.

THE TREND

The platform is currently live in pulmonary, including cystic fibrosis,  pulmonary arterial hypertension and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; cardiology,  including hyperlipidemia and congestive heart failure and gastroenterology, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

As the company grows, ZappRx said it plans to expand into other areas, including rheumatology, neurology, oncology, and other rare diseases.

ON THE RECORD

"By collaborating with a global pharmaceutical company such as Bayer, we continue to build momentum around our primary goal – helping patients," said Zoë Barry, CEO and founder of ZappRx.

Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com