NASP Speciality Pharmacy Podcast

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, host Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Nico Kernick, Head of Growth and Operations at Develop Health. They discuss the ways AI is reducing friction and increasing transparency in the prior authorization process for providers and specialty pharmacies. Nico shares how Develop Health's AI-native workflows now support over 3 million patients, boosting submission and first-pass approval rates while keeping providers in control every step of the way. Listeners can expect to learn how pharmacies can get started overnight, plus a special offer for NASP members.
 

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, R.Ph., President & CEO of the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy (NASP), sits down with Dr. Caroline Girardeau, PharmD, MBA, PMP, BCPS, Pharmacy Program Director at the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC), to explore the evolving specialty pharmacy accreditation landscape.
Together, they discuss the scope and value of comprehensive specialty pharmacy accreditation, examining how rigorous accreditation standards help improve patient safety, clinical outcomes, operational excellence, and the overall quality of care. They also highlight how specialty pharmacies can leverage accreditation as more than a requirement for participation in payer or limited distribution networks, using it as a strategic framework to drive continuous quality improvement, strengthen operations, and elevate the patient experience.

In this episode, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Santana VanDyke, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Director of the Hidradenitis Suppurativa Clinic at University of Vermont Health, and Ryan Lackey, PharmD, CPPS, Ambulatory Pharmacist Clinician and Co-Director of the clinic. They discuss Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), including disease presentation, treatment options, emerging therapies, and research currently underway. The conversation highlights UVM Health’s collaborative care model that brings together dermatology and specialty pharmacy to improve the patient experience and clinical outcomes.
 

In this episode, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Jonathan L. Swichar, Duane Morris Pharmacy Litigation Group Chair, and Bradley A. Wasser, Duane Morris Pharmacy Litigation Group Partner. They discuss the 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act and its landmark PBM reform provisions that impact pharmacy network access and transparency. These expert litigators go into detail about what specialty pharmacies should expect as federal agencies enforce the new law and what opportunities and challenges lie ahead for specialty pharmacies.

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Linda Clark and Brad Gallagher, Co-Leaders of Barclay Damon’s Health Care Controversies and Pharmacy Teams. They explore the rapidly evolving Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) regulatory landscape and its impact on specialty pharmacies, offering key considerations for contracting and strategies to strengthen audit readiness and compliance. Linda and Brad also share practical guidance to help specialty pharmacies increasingly under pressure to manage their risk and position themselves for long-term success.

In this episode, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with David G. Mitchell, PharmD, MBA, CSP, FCPhA, Assistant Chief Pharmacy Officer of Specialty Pharmacy & Home Delivery and Ruth Chen, PharmD, MHA, Manager of the Specialty Pharmacy Hub at UC Davis Health in Sacramento. They look at how UC Davis Health has built and scaled one of California’s most integrated health-system specialty pharmacy programs. Dr. Mitchell shares how being embedded within clinics, care teams, and the EHR enables specialty pharmacy to deliver differentiated clinical and operational value while navigating payer, policy, and access challenges in a rapidly evolving landscape. Dr. Chen discusses why a focused rare disease strategy is essential for health-system specialty pharmacies. She walks through the challenges that existed prior to implementing a centralized rare disease hub model and how those challenges shaped the development of a coordinated, pharmacy-led approach that supports patients and providers across complex therapies. Together, this conversation highlights how structure, strategy, and leadership enable innovation, workforce growth, and improved patient care.

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Simone Colgan Dunlap, National Vice Chair of the Quarles Health and Life Sciences Practice Group, and Amy Cotton Peterson, Partner at Quarles. As more automation solutions become available, its vital specialty pharmacy providers strategically approach acquisition of targets that offer technology and AI assets. This discussion explores effective diligence practices, common pitfalls, and risk mitigation strategies for specialty pharmacies navigating mergers and acquisitions and the rapidly evolving use of artificial intelligence.
 

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Matthew G. Bowles, PharmD, MBA, CSP, Pharmacy Clinical Team Lead with Vanderbilt Specialty Pharmacy, Vanderbilt Health, and lead author on the study “Getting to specialty treatment in dermatologic inflammatory conditions: Treatment requirements and patient journey,” published February 2025 in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy. They discuss the reasons for conducting and results of the study, as well as the impacts the study may have on specialty and managed care pharmacy.

During this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, speaks with Sheri Wallace, Account Representative at AcariaHealth Specialty Pharmacy, and Diane Omdahl, RN, MS, founder of 65 Incorporated, published author and consultant on Medicare, to unpack the complexities of the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan (MPPP). Drawing on decades of patient access experience and the finer points of Medicare, they share insights on how these changes impact patients, providers, and pharmacies alike. Learn the importance of education, transparency, and advocacy in ensuring patients don’t fall through the cracks during these changes. Whether you're a provider, pharma partner, or patient advocate, this episode offers practical guidance and expert perspectives to help you navigate the evolving Medicare landscape.

In this episode of the NASP Podcast, Sheila Arquette, President & CEO of NASP, sits down with Trey Holterman, CEO and Co-Founder of Tennr, a healthcare referral automation platform. They explore Tennr’s journey from startup to industry leader and how focused technology speeds patient access, with a look towards what the future holds for patient engagement and care personalization.