Leveraging their expertise from former roles, such as practice administrators, account managers, certified coders, payer representatives, and pharmacy techs, field reimbursement and access teams solve the most complex reimbursement and access challenges.

There may come a time when a biopharma company's field team needs an extra boost such as ad hoc support to cover for an extended absence. Consider the following suggestions for why engaging a partner with a shared resources model is a smart move.

A shared resource solution’s aim is to meet a biopharma company’s goal: get patients on therapy and get patients to stay on therapy.

Field reimbursement managers provide compliant reimbursement and access support to help physicians and office staff overcome patient access barriers and also provide compliant education programs for providers and staff. When considering a shared resources model for their field team, biopharma companies should seek a partner with experience with prior authorization and/or revenue cycle management.

Additionally, consider if a partner offers unparalleled experience designing and implementing customized field solutions to support products across different therapeutic areas.

If a biopharma company faces staffing challenges, that could certainly delay time to therapy for patients. However, no matter what happens behind the scenes, patient experience should remain the same. Additional resources complement existing field teams with valued experience. Shared resources offer flexibility to adjust the level of support as products move through their lifecycle.

Continuity also applies to making sure providers and other stakeholders feel their needs are met. Outsourced staff bring additional ability to support providers when treatment site of service is transferred from one clinical setting to another without any disruption to patient care. The messaging that sites of care partners receive must also be continuous and speak to the same aim of right product, right patient, right time.

A shared resource model gives biopharma companies the ability to quickly pivot when needed. They can efficiently scale up their team when a new therapy launches or entry into a new market is on the horizon. Shared resources can be devoted to a new area; or conversely, current staff can handle new territories and shared resources can keep up with the existing workloads. It's all about flexibility as outside experts should bring problem-solving skills and experience with a wide range of applications.

The benefits go beyond dollars and cents. Staff morale also sees a boost from this approach. With outsourced resources, existing employees can feel more confident taking their well-earned vacation, knowing their territory is covered. When there is a gap because a colleague is on medical leave or sabbatical or there is an open position to fill, supplementing with shared resources gives current staff some breathing room. Consider it strategic workforce planning that addresses turnover without overburdening the remaining team members and existing resources.

When a biopharma outsources through a shared resource model, they should expect results that are both practical and flexible, and that maximize patient access from day one.