When we set out to build a new kind of pharmacy experience,
we spent a lot of time understanding the existing underlying pharmacy systems.
These pharmacy systems really think about individual prescriptions.
The problem is they don't think about medications the way people do.
More than fourty million Americans take five or more prescriptions every day.
For each one of these prescriptions, they have to drive to the pharmacy,
sort them, constantly stay on top of their refills with their doctors,
manage any changes in therapies, and coordinate with their insurance company.
Pharmacies today were not designed for this.
Someone who takes five medications literally has five times the complexity.
And this complexity falls outside the boundaries of the traditional pharmacy.
TJ: When we started PillPack, and even before we started PillPack,
we realized that people all across the country
faced the exact same issues every single day
when it came to managing their medications.
And if we could build systems that solved these issues for people,
it would make it much easier to take their medications
and ultimately for them to be healthier.
Elliot: So we did exactly that. We set out to build a system from the ground up
designed specifically to handle these complex workflows
that come from managing multiple medications.
We call it PharmacyOS, and it's the operating system for the modern pharmacy.
TJ: Anyone managing medications today has to cordinate
between their doctor, their payer, and their pharmacy.
And if any issues arise, the burden falls on the patient.
As we created PharmacyOS, we wanted to simplify the entire process.
This system should identify the problems before the happen,
and factor for all the problems that come along with managing multiple medications.
Elliot: Today, every pharmacy sends a simple refill request.
But if the doctor doesn't respond or there are insurance issues,
it's the customer's problem. And this can cause them to miss their meds.
PharmacyOS has automated workflows
that constantly make sure your prescriptions are up to date.
We've built a proactive engine to monitor for any issues, and resolve them in advance.
Another thing is that people's medications change all the time.
Today, prescriptions are filled individually and pharmacists don't have
the time or tools to do a comprehensive review of a customer's medication
each time a prescription changes.
TJ: PharmacyOS creates a complete view of our customers' medications
and we review their entire plan every month or any time they have a medication change.
As soon as we get a customer's prescriptions,
PharmacyOS makes sure there won't be any insurance issues
when it's time to dispense the medication.
We investigate insurance claims in advance,
to make sure customers don't run into formulary issues,
or unexpectedly high copays.
We can also help customers,
by looking for coupons and other discount pricing services.
No other pharmacy thinks this way.
Elliot: When it comes to managing multiple medications,
this is where today's pharmacy systems really break down.
People managing multiple medications often work with multiple doctors,
visiting the pharmacy multiple times a month.
PharmacyOS synchronizes all their prescriptions,
so people don't have to track down individual fill dates,
or make multiple trips to the pharmacy.
And we automatically deliver everything to their door.
TJ: Finally, since most pharmacies work on prescription basis,
tracking and anticipating changes is incredibly hard.
And people don't usually realize they have a problem until they show up at the pharmacy.
With PharmacyOS, we designed the system around proactive medication management.
It is constantly looking into the future, searching for possible problems.
We'll notify the customer through email, text, and standard mail if any problems arise.
Elliot: PharmacyOS really is a new take on a pharmacy system.
When we started PillPack, we knew that the most pressing need
was to remove the complexity and frustration associated
with managing with multiple medications.
And in order to do this at scale for millions of people,
we had to redesign the systems from the ground up.
But PharmacyOS is more than just a rethinking of a pharmacy system.
It truly represents the early stages of a platform,
that over time will create a radical shift in chronic care management.
TJ: Today, we're at the beginning stages of partnering with organizations
to give them new insights into patient behavior,
and start to radically rethink how healthcare can be delivered.
Through new models of care delivery, we're partnering with payers,
pharmaceutical manufacturers, and health systems
to radically rethink what it means to help people stay healthy.
Announcing PharmacyOS is a really exciting moment for us as a company,
but we're even more excited about the impact that PharmacyOS will have on people's lives.
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