GLP-1 RA Access Improved Through Specialty Pharmacy Collaboration
Key Clinical Summary
- A pediatric obesity clinic partnered with an integrated health system specialty pharmacy (HSSP) to streamline GLP-1 receptor agonist prescribing and coordination.
- Over 12 months, GLP-1 prescription fills through the HSSP rose by 1680%, and patient enrollment in HSSP services increased by 1057%.
- The average prescription turn-around time was 2.2 days, and medication adherence reached 95.5%.
At ObesityWeek 2025, researchers presented real-world quality improvement data on GLP-1 receptor agonist (RA) prescribing in pediatric obesity care. The session, titled "Improved GLP-1 RA Prescribing Practices Through Collaboration With an Integrated Specialty Pharmacy," took place on Friday, November 7. Investigators highlighted how integrating health system specialty pharmacy (HSSP) services led to marked increases in prescription fill rates and patient enrollment.
Session Highlights
During the session, presenters outlined a multi-pronged quality improvement (QI) strategy initiated in February 2024 to enhance access to GLP-1 RAs for adolescents with obesity. The team implemented interventions such as weekly medication stock updates, optimized prior authorization (PA) workflows, refill reminders, and proactive patient education about HSSP services.
Data was collected from January 2023 to January 2025 using electronic health record (EHR) and pharmacy dispensing systems. In the baseline year (2023), the clinic wrote 989 GLP-1 RA prescriptions, with only 102 filled at the associated HSSP and 30 patients enrolled in HSSP services. In contrast, by the end of the intervention year (2024), 1946 prescriptions had been written, 1816 of which were filled at the HSSP, and 347 patients had been enrolled.
The average turnaround time for prescriptions was 2.2 days, and the medication adherence rate, measured by the proportion of days covered (PDC), was 95.5%.
Expert Perspectives
“Systematic coordination between providers and specialty pharmacies can transform medication access,” noted the session presenter. “For adolescent patients facing obesity—a chronic, high-burden condition—timely and consistent access to therapy like GLP-1 RAs is critical.”
The QI team emphasized the role of stepwise implementation using Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles and continuous process monitoring. Improved communication between the care team and patients regarding HSSP offerings played a pivotal role in patient uptake.
The presenters also acknowledged the barriers to GLP-1 prescribing, including prior authorization complexity and variable insurance coverage, highlighting that collaborative models like this can directly address such systemic limitations.
Implications for Practice
This session underscores the value of integrated specialty pharmacies in improving medication access for chronic disease management. By embedding pharmacy services into the care workflow, clinics can overcome logistical barriers, enhance adherence, and scale access to GLP-1 RA therapies in pediatric populations.
Conclusion
This quality improvement initiative demonstrates that collaborative HSSP models can substantially improve prescription fulfillment and patient engagement with GLP-1 therapies for adolescent obesity. Future research should assess the downstream impact on clinical outcomes and healthcare costs to support broader implementation.
Reference
Hurtado Andrade MDD, Nguyen L, Stutsky M, et al. Oral-095 improved GLP-1 RA prescribing practices through collaboration with an integrated specialty pharmacy. Presented at the ObesityWeek; November 4-7, 2025. Atlanta, Georgia.
