Drug spending has ballooned over the last several years. Total U.S. spending on drugs grew by $10.4 billion in 2023.¹ Specialty medications account for 54% of that spending, driven primarily by new brand name drugs for oncological and immunological conditions.¹

The increased influence of specialty drugs creates opportunities for health system leaders to strategically deploy pharmacy assets to improve care quality and financial margins. Studies have found that health system-owned specialty pharmacies can improve patient outcomes via faster access to drugs and higher levels of drug adherence and persistence.^2,3  Pharmacy assets, including specialty pharmacies and infusion services, can also support financial margins for the broader health system — especially when the system includes a hospital that participates in 340B.^4,5