Simple Ways to Build Trust Between Healthcare Providers and Patients

• December 26, 2018
• Amber Specialty Pharmacy
• Amber Specialty Pharmacy

As a regional account executive for Amber Specialty Pharmacy, I have a unique view of specialty pharmacy. I get to see firsthand how specialty pharmacy affects healthcare from both a patient and a provider perspective. In my experience, one of the challenges I see healthcare providers face is how to build a trusting relationship with their patients. At Amber Specialty Pharmacy, we share in this challenge. As a specialty and infusion pharmacy, Amber Specialty Pharmacy plays an integral role in the treatment journey for patients with chronic conditions. Our team members understand their responsibility to establish trust with both providers and patients. Studies show when patients trust their healthcare providers, they are more likely to adhere to their therapy.

There are simple ways that healthcare providers, including specialty pharmacies, can build trust with their patients. This process starts with communication, listening skills, availability and accountability from every member of a patient’s healthcare team.

Communicate Clearly

Communication is an important way to build trust in any relationship. When it comes to the health and well-being of your patients, communication becomes paramount. Research shows that good communication leads to better overall health outcomes and patient care. In order to achieve the best possible health outcomes, a patient’s entire healthcare team must communicate clearly. This means healthcare providers and pharmacists are responsible for working together to make sure patients understand their diagnosis and the medication used to treat it. One way to do this is to provide important wellness information in numerous forms. Offering printed materials, visual aids and verbal explanations helps patients and caregivers understand complicated health conditions.

Amber Specialty Pharmacy takes a whole-health approach to managing complex, chronic conditions. This means coordinating care between patients, their pharmacist, their doctors, their insurance provider and others. As a regional account executive, I represent Amber Specialty Pharmacy to numerous providers in the healthcare community. My goal is to give providers confidence in Amber Specialty Pharmacy’s ability to care for their patients and, ultimately, to give patients access to the numerous support services available through Amber Specialty Pharmacy.

Listen Well

One of the best ways to serve your patients is to listen to them. Listen to their questions, their problems and their concerns. Once you truly understand where they’re coming from, you can offer medical advice tailored to their unique situation and empower them to make informed healthcare decisions.

Many times providers and patients will ask similar questions about medications and medication side effects. In the dynamic specialty pharmacy industry, I have to stay up to date on the latest developments in medication, regulation and innovation.  As an account manager, it’s my responsibility to listen to questions and respond with reliable resources. My role is to make sure healthcare providers trust Amber Specialty Pharmacy to take care of our patients and move the prescription forward. In one example, Amber Specialty Pharmacy fills the gaps in patient care by researching and enrolling patients in available financial support programs.

Be Available

Building trust is an ongoing process, especially in the healthcare field. Illnesses don’t happen during set meeting times or scheduled conference calls. When patients have questions about medication side effects, they need answers right away. Provide your patients with resources and contact information to make getting information easy. Don’t leave your patients feeling frustrated with unanswered phone calls and ignored voice messages.

Amber Specialty Pharmacy builds trust with both healthcare providers and patients by being available to them throughout their treatment journey. Clinical experts at Amber Specialty Pharmacy are available 24 hours, 7 days a week. Our team is here to make sure every patient receives exceptional care. If a healthcare provider has a question about a specialty prescription, experts on Amber Specialty Pharmacy’s condition-specific Centers of Excellence are available. When I work with providers, I want to make sure every healthcare provider has the resources he or she needs to feel comfortable with Amber Specialty Pharmacy services and confident that their patients are receiving the best possible care.

Follow Through and Hold Yourself Accountable

Staying true to your word goes a long way to building trust. It’s a simple concept, but it can be life changing when it comes to patient care. When you say you’re going to follow up with a patient or connect them to additional resources, do it. If you’re committed to building trust with your patients, follow through. Hold yourself accountable and encourage your coworkers to do the same.

You can expect the same high level of accountability from every person on your Amber Specialty Pharmacy team. Whether you’re a patient working with a care coordinator or a healthcare provider working with your account representative or Center of Excellence team, Amber Specialty Pharmacy is committed to earning your trust across the board. Amber Specialty Pharmacy is proud to uphold accreditation through the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC) and URAC. These review boards allow us to ensure our standards of excellence meet or exceed industry norms.

Trust is an invaluable resource in the healthcare field. For the Amber Specialty Pharmacy team, earning your trust is part of helping your patients manage their diagnosis. We understand that when patients and healthcare providers trust us, everyone experiences better overall outcomes. Our comprehensive provider support services allow you to focus on what is most important-your patients’ health and well-being.