Do you know someone that could benefit from a local, specialized fertility healthcare professional? Patients undergo fertility treatments for a variety of reasons including preservation of eggs before chemotherapy treatment, surrogacy, and both male and female infertility. These treatments and procedures can be a stressful and expensive process for many patients. It is the role of the pharmacist to help navigate patients through this complex process by explaining and implementing programs to help pay for medications and providing detailed instructions on how to correctly use each medication.
Unfortunately for many Nebraskans and patients across the country, fertility treatments are not covered by insurance and require up-front cash payments. To combat this, drug manufacturers have created programs that help cash-paying patients pay for their medications. Patients are able to apply for these programs and are awarded a discount based on a variety of factors such as income. Pharmacies contract with drug manufacturers and are able to apply these discounts directly at the point of sale. Kohll’s Rx is one of these pharmacies and is able to provide discounts for drugs manufactured by Merck and Ferring Pharmaceuticals, two of the dominant pharmaceutical manufacturers of fertility medications.
The pharmacist’s role in infertility treatments does not end after the medications are sold. Fertility drugs are primarily self-injected medications that can be complicated to prepare, require specific storage, and are time-sensitive. A primary role of the pharmacist in this process is patient counseling. It is common for a pharmacist to engage in one on one counseling for over 15 minutes with patients who are starting these medications. Also, as pharmacists remain the most accessible healthcare professionals, staff members are available to answer questions after clinics are closed and are available on-call 24/7.
Kohll’s Rx is a unique provider of fertility medications in the Lincoln and Omaha area. Most pharmacies that dispense fertility drugs are mail order pharmacies that ship drugs to patients. While Kohll’s Rx can also ship medications, we are in a unique position where medications are available to patients for pick-up. This can save patients hundreds of dollars as they are able to pick up only what they need and can easily come back if additional medication is needed. There is nothing more frustrating for patients than completing infertility treatments and having unused, costly medication that cannot be returned.
Pharmacists can empower your grandchild, child or loved one by helping them understand what the medications they are injecting are for and how to correctly use them. While infertility treatment can be unpredictable and heartbreaking, pharmacists can be a steady source of information and compassion.
Jake Siel, Pharm.D.
Kohll’s Rx Fertility Department Pharmacist
