Topics:

• Specialty Drugs
• Data Analytics
• Net Acquisition Cost vs. Discount Pricing
• Improving Health Outcomes
• Specialty Drug Waste
• Prior Authorization
• Cost Savings
• Misaligned Incentives

In this episode, Michael introduces you to Pramod John, CEO of VIVIO Health. Join us as we discuss how VIVIO Health, a specialty drug platform, utilizes data analytics and outcomes based models to help employers control their specialty drug spend.

Here’s a glance at what we discuss in this episode:

• Pramod John’s software engineering and supply chain background and why he founded VIVIO Health
• How drugs may be prescribed off-label and physicians prescribing patterns may be influenced by payments from drug manufacturers
• How misaligned incentives have propelled our healthcare system into a cycle of complacency and how VIVIO Health seeks to break the cycle
• Why its critical to focus on specialty drugs to contain costs in Rx spending
• Why the current discount pricing model doesn’t work and leads to higher medical inflation year after year
• Why a focus on specialty drug discount guarantees in PBM contracts may not be in the best interest of employers and lead to the purchase of higher cost drugs when lower cost drugs are available
• Why the assumption that smaller companies like VIVIO Health can’t negotiate pricing competitive with Big PBM’s is false
• Why a stamp of approval from the FDA may not mean a drug is safe or effective
• The difference between effectiveness of a drug and efficacy and how many drugs on formularies are not impactful for improving clinical conditions they are designed to treat
• The problems with the traditional prior authorization process and how VIVIO Health has  changed the process to be a data driven approach to determining the optimal therapy for the specific patient
• How VIVIO Health’s data collection process helps an employer to monitor if the drugs that are being prescribed are actually working and effective
• The resistance from PBM’s to allow a vendor like VIVIO Health to carve out the administration, procurement and management of the specialty drug component
• VIVIO Health’s platform and how they are improving the employee experience and helping reduce waste in prescribing practices and employer spend on specialty drugs by 30% to 50%
• VIVIO Health’s transparent cost structure and typical ROI with current clients
• Obstacles that VIVIO Health has overcome to implementing their program with employers
• VIVIO Health’s website and contact information: http://www.viviohealth.com/, pramod@viviohealth.com