Hubs East 2025: The Role of Emotional Support in Improving Patient Adherence

PC: What are some common barriers patients face when starting specialty medications, and how can peer-to-patient outreach help?

Butler: Our program is a peer-to-patient platform, which I believe is critical. It addresses emotional barriers such as fear, misinformation, mistrust, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, not knowing who to turn to, uncertainty about the process, and concerns about what comes next. By connecting patients with peers, it provides them with someone who listens and understands their experience.

From there, patients can be guided in the right direction without a clinical, white-coat discussion. Our peers are not clinicians; they are considered peer-to-patient supporters. This program helps improve adherence by addressing the emotional barriers patients face.

A few years ago, the AMA released a study showing that five of the top eight reasons for non-adherence were emotionally driven. Our platform directly tackles these challenges, providing patients with the support they need.

Full Interview Summary: The Good Start program by Pleio is designed to assist specialty pharmacies in improving patient engagement and adherence by providing comprehensive, patient-centric support. Specialty medications often involve complex onboarding processes, leaving patients feeling overwhelmed. Good Start addresses this by offering a structured, wraparound approach that guides patients from the moment they receive their medication. The program ensures patients understand the specialty pharmacy process, introduces them to their care teams, and creates a supportive environment that reduces anxiety.

A key feature of Good Start is its peer-to-patient outreach model, which addresses emotional barriers such as fear, mistrust, and anxiety—factors that significantly contribute to medication non-adherence. Non-clinical peers engage with patients in a more relatable manner, providing reassurance and helping them navigate the treatment process without the intimidation of clinical discussions. This approach aligns with findings from the AMA, which highlight that emotional barriers are a major cause of non-adherence.

Patient engagement in specialty pharmacy is evolving alongside technological advancements. While digital tools provide valuable resources, they can also be overwhelming. Patients expect more personalized support, including human check-ins that reinforce adherence. Pleio’s program has demonstrated success in improving key adherence metrics, including a 5% increase in proportion of days covered (PDC), an 80% rise in average scripts per patient, and a 60% boost in medication volume.