New Hyphen Pharmacy Assistant App Empowers Pharmacists to Play a Role in Value-Based Care

Healthfirst becomes first payer to use the app to reward pharmacists for taking action to improve medication adherence and patient satisfaction

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Hyphen, the technology company creating connected-care, has launched its innovative Pharmacy Assistant app. The app presents community pharmacists the real-time information and insights they need to improve patient care and experience and receive quality incentives for taking action while remaining in their own system and workflow.

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Hyphen's Pharmacy Assistant app presents community pharmacists the real-time information and insights they need to improve patient care and receive quality incentives for taking action. (Photo: Business Wire)

Healthfirst, New York’s largest not-for-profit health insurance companyⁱ with more than 1.8 million members, is the first payer using the Pharmacy Assistant app to power its Pharmacy Incentive Program. The first-of-its kind program is designed to empower pharmacists within Healthfirst’s network to help improve medication adherence rates, increase members’ understanding of their health plan benefits, and get compensated for those actions.

“Healthfirst’s Pharmacy Incentive Program is a perfect example of what is possible when organizations use Hyphen’s Pharmacy Assistant app to seamlessly collaborate around their patients,” said Suzanne Wogelius, Head of Product, Hyphen. “We are happy that Hyphen is able to serve as the connecting platform so pharmacists can get quality incentives for the work they do to improve outcomes for Healthfirst members.”

Pharmacists participating in the Pharmacy Incentive Program receive compensation for educating members about aspects of their health insurance benefits and for completing tasks around medication adherence, such as reaching out to members to refill prescriptions and converting medications to a 90-day supply. Pharmacists can also receive quality bonuses for improving medication adherence and member experience.

Healthfirst’s Pharmacy Incentive Program targets medication adherence rates and patient experience scores for Healthfirst Medicare members taking medications that help control cholesterol, hypertension, or diabetes. Given a typical Healthfirst member will connect 5 to 10 more times annually with their pharmacist than with their primary care physician, this program is an essential part of Healthfirst’s commitment to advancing health equity and value-based care.

“We’ve long recognized that many of our members rely on their local and independent pharmacists for both medication assistance and a friendly source of reliable health information, both of which impact health outcomes and satisfaction,” said Bhavesh Modi, VP, Pharmacy, Healthfirst. “Historically, it has been challenging to incorporate pharmacists into value-based programs, but Hyphen’s cutting-edge technology is changing that.”

Hyphen’s Pharmacy Assistant app is in use now at more than 150 pharmacies that serve Healthfirst Medicare members in New York City. These pharmacies all use Micro Merchant Systems’ PrimeRx® software, and the Pharmacy Assistant app integrates with that existing software. The app helps pharmacies easily track completed patient education activities and receive quality incentives for specific services performed that improve medication adherence and patient satisfaction.

“We are excited to partner with Hyphen and Healthfirst to bridge gaps in patient care by guiding pharmacists in real-time so that appropriate counseling and care are provided to the patients and, at the same time, revenue incentives are generated for the pharmacies for the vital work that they are doing in implementing care that positively affects their patients' health-outcomes,” said Ketan Mehta, CEO, Micro Merchant Systems, Inc.

In addition to the patient-level Pharmacy Assistant app, Hyphen expects to launch an enhanced version of the app that includes a worklist that showcases a population-level view of Healthfirst Medicare members who are served by the pharmacy. This will allow pharmacies to proactively reach out to patients to schedule a flu vaccine or follow up on new to therapy medications and in general address gaps in care to help improve care quality.

About Hyphen

Hyphen is a healthcare technology company that makes it easy for health plans, providers and community organizations to share data and work together to deliver connected-care. The composable Hyphen platform is payer agnostic and uses real-time FHIR-based integration to enable access to critical information when and where it’s needed most — so all healthcare stakeholders can align care coordination efforts around the patient. As a subsidiary of HF Management Services, LLC, Hyphen was built with deep experience in value-based care, a focus on health equity, and a steadfast commitment to ensuring value flows in ways that benefit the whole healthcare system. Learn more at hyphencare.com.

About Healthfirst

Healthfirst is the largest not-for-profit health insurer in New York State^*, earning the trust of 1.8 million members by ensuring access to affordable and high-quality healthcare. Sponsored by downstate New York’s leading hospital systems, Healthfirst’s unique advantage is rooted in its mission to put members first by partnering closely with its broad network of providers on shared goals. Healthfirst is also a pioneer of the value-based care model, now recognized as a national best practice. For nearly 30 years, Healthfirst has worked with its network of hospital systems, community providers, and partners to improve health outcomes and advance health equity through better access to care—especially in underserved communities adversely impacted by disease, health disparities and socioeconomic barriers to optimal health. Healthfirst has built its reputation in the community for top-quality products and services New Yorkers can depend on. It offers market-leading products to fit every life stage, including Medicaid plans, Medicare Advantage plans, Long-Term Care plans, Qualified Health plans, Essential Plans and individual and small group plans. Healthfirst serves members in New York City and on Long Island, as well as in Westchester, Rockland, Sullivan, and Orange counties.

About PrimeRx

PrimeRx is the signature pharmacy management software solution developed by Micro Merchant Systems. The software offers comprehensive functionality that automates and manages all core pharmacy functions. PrimeRx is presented in a logical, user-friendly format that can be configured to meet specific pharmacy requirements. Pharmacies have the option to add functionality based on their scope of service. The PrimeRx system can be found in thousands of pharmacies across the United States and Puerto Rico. In 2023, PrimeRx was honored by American Business Awards with a prestigious Stevie Award for “achievement in product innovation.” Learn more at primerx.io

ⁱBased on reported revenue for calendar year 2022.

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Source: Healthfirst