Field Notes: A Compressed Implementation Timeline and the Expertise to Deliver

Field Notes is a series of spotlights sharing what's working for Field Access and Patient Services teams using Courier Health. Customer details have been anonymized.

Preparing to launch a specialty therapy is a high-stakes, high-pressure effort under even the most ideal of circumstances. For one top 30 pharmaceutical company who selected Courier Health to power its Field Reimbursement Manager (FRM) and Clinical Nurse Educators (CNE) teams, the timeline was further compressed with an accelerated FDA approval.  

While undoubtedly a win for the brand – and most importantly, for patients waiting on treatment for a progressive nephrology disease – it meant a complex implementation had even less runway. Here’s how the Courier Health and client teams pulled go-live forward and delivered implementation weeks ahead of schedule for launch.

The Challenge: Fragmented Data and a Compressed Timeline

Like most programs in the fragmented and data-rich world of specialty pharma, patient journey information existed in silos. Hub, SP, and Provider/HCO reference data would all need to be stitched together for the teams, but in different ways.

FRMs needed account-level visibility, as well as individual patient prior authorization and appeal status. CNEs needed longitudinal visibility into each patient's journey, from enrollment through prior authorization, injection training, and ongoing therapy. And while each team needed tailored workflows, they would be coordinating around the same patients. Ensuring each user only saw the data, including PHI, appropriate for their role was table stakes.  

While none of these challenges are unfamiliar to Courier Health, the initial launch timeline left no room for error. And then came the accelerated approval.

The Solution: The Preparation & Expertise to Deliver

When the accelerated FDA approval moved up the launch finish line, the Courier Health team didn’t flinch. We compressed the remaining configuration schedule and pulled go-live forward by nearly one month to meet the launch.

"From the start, Courier Health really stood out as the team that could deliver for us and our launch." - Head of Patient Access

In parallel, the Courier Health Client Solutions team provided white-glove support to ensure the teams were ready for launch, including in-person training for FRMs and CNEs.

When it all came together for go-live, the Head of Patient Access put it simply:

“Having worked with other vendors, your [Courier Health's] turnaround time and willingness to implement changes is incredible, and a testament to the caliber of your team. You guys have been tremendous partners during this process."

What made this possible?

• Courier Health is purpose-built to connect and support the specialty patient journey data ecosystem. We are 100% focused on the Field Access and Patient Services teams and programs this top 30 pharma company needed to get up and running on a new system.
• Our dedicated Client Solutions team embeds within a company’s program, essentially acting as an extension of their team. With the same group involved from the first introductory conversation through go-live, we had a deep understanding of the goals, complexities, needs, and risks that would be necessary to navigate.

The Results: One Command Center to Power Patient Access

Entering a competitive market at launch leaves no room for errors. Equipped with a central patient command center to provide visibility, facilitate coordination, and unlock control over the patient experience, the company’s FRMs and CNEs didn’t miss a beat – and even exceeded expectations.

By the end of its first full quarter live in the Courier Health system, fill rates had climbed 20%, and over three-quarters of eligible patients had enrolled in the patient support program – both ahead of the client's own targets.

Fast forward to today, and the teams are becoming even more efficient and effective with Courier Health as their patient source of truth.  

• CNEs complete 98% of welcome calls within one business day of enrollment
• AI-powered patient summaries and automated workflows save the teams roughly 200 hours every month

A launch date that moves up is a stress test for any commercial infrastructure. This top 30 pharma company passed their test in part because Courier Health provided the technology, process, and people to move even faster when the timeline demanded it.

If your team is navigating pre-launch planning, let's discuss how Courier Health can help.