Give each medication access issue a clear next step

Use this framework to define the access barrier, identify who owns the next action, document the handoff, and confirm what happened rather than assuming a referral or authorization request resolved the problem.

When a medication cannot be obtained as expected, pharmacy teams are often the ones who find the way forward. A medication access workflow gives an unresolved barrier an owner, a next action, and a follow-up point. This PharmD Hub™ checklist helps pharmacy teams define the issue, route it, communicate with the patient, and confirm the result. A completed handoff should make responsibility clear rather than leave the next person to reconstruct the case.

Determine whether the next action belongs with the pharmacy, prescriber, payer, patient, supplier, or another authorized party. Follow approved procedures for communicating relevant information and obtaining required permissions.

Explain what is known, what remains unresolved, and who is handling the next step. Avoid promising coverage, a price, or a delivery date that has not been confirmed. Escalate potentially urgent clinical concerns to the responsible clinician under local procedures.

Apply the five steps to an unresolved access case within your authorized role. At follow-up, record whether access was confirmed, remains unresolved, or requires a different action. The metrics framework helps you define the result consistently before reporting it.