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CASE STUDY:
ACCREDO "GOLD STANDARD" FOR CARE GAINS A HIGHER PROFILE ISSUE: In 2005, Accredo Health Group was a fast growing specialty pharmacy with an excellent reputation for “high-touch” care, but a nearly non-existent media presence. That year, Accredo tasked Coyne PR with generating media coverage that would highlight its expertise in treating a growing patient population using biotech drugs while also addressing concerns over the cost of paying for these medications. Health plans and employers were beginning to balk at the increased use of these treatments and their rising price tag, commonly costing tens of thousands of dollars annually. Accredo also wanted to raise its profile within the Tennessee business community as a recruiting tool and to promote its value after receiving a major statewide contract. IDEA: Recognizing a changing climate in which more patients would be using specialty drugs, Coyne PR sharpened Accredo’s message of exceptional patient care and clinical expertise, as well as its sophisticated approach to managing costs. Coyne PR helped Accredo define its audiences of patients, physicians, health plans/employers and potential employees and developed a program aimed at a mix of national, local and trade media. Coyne PR engaged national reporters on issues related to the complicated care required of specialty drug patients and the challenges health plans face in covering these medications. Bylined articles in targeted trade journals reinforced Accredo as the “gold standard” in the treatment of rare and complex medical conditions, emphasizing specialty medications’ role in saving lives and reducing total health care costs, while also addressing health plan and employer needs to structure specialty benefits to keep them affordable. To raise the company’s local profile, Coyne PR engaged the Memphis area media through a series of interviews with Accredo spokespeople and ongoing outreach around corporate developments. IMPACT: Coyne PR’s efforts helped position Accredo as a “solution” to the challenges faced by patients with complex health conditions and the health plans responsible for their costs. Accredo executives have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and the Memphis Commercial Appeal, among other newspapers. Leading industry trades, such as Business Insurance, Biotechnology Healthcare and Drug Benefit Trends have published thought leadership pieces by Accredo executives about specialty pharmacy from both a clinical and cost management viewpoint. After the Memphis Commercial Appeal published a CEO interview detailing Accredo’s growth prospects, executives saw an influx of job applications and received a heightened level of interest from different business groups in the region. |
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Heath Care Case Studies
