Specialty Pharmacy Prescription Services

The Dartmouth-Hitchcock (D-H) Specialty Pharmacy provides many prescription services to our patients. See the following topic sections to learn more about the services we provide.

Emergency information

If you have a medical emergency, please call 911 immediately.

If you have suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255. They offer free and confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you or a loved one need support for drug abuse/addiction, please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The number is 800-662-4357. They will refer you to a treatment facility, support group, or community group.

If you are having a non-emergent drug reaction please call us at 855-280-3893. We are here 24/7 to address your concerns and report them to your prescriber if needed.

In the event of a disaster or emergency that requires you to leave your home, take at least one week's worth of medication with you and inform us of your location. Should a disaster impact shipping to your area (i.e., a blizzard/hurricane), we will contact you to ship medication early or will order your medication locally to avoid disruptions in therapy. If you think you will be impacted by a disaster, call us to discuss your needs.

If there is a drug recall, the pharmacist will call you to discuss a quick and safe resolution.

Frequently used insurance terms

All prescription insurance plans are different. To help you understand your benefits, here are some commonly used terms:

  • Refill-too-soon: You’re trying to refill a prescription sooner than your insurance approves. Most insurances allow you to refill your medication once a certain amount of it is used. This is based on the number of days your supply should last. If your dose has increased or you are going on vacation, please call the pharmacy.
  • Quantity Limits: Your provider has written for more medication than your insurance will cover. This can be limited to tablets per day or by how much medication you can receive at a time. Our staff will explain this and work with you to answer any questions or concerns.
  • Step Therapy: Your insurance plan wants you to try other less expensive medicines, or "steps” before they will pay for the prescribed medication.
  • Prior Authorization: The medication being prescribed is not covered by your plan without supporting information, such as medications tried and failed. The pharmacy will work with your provider's office to get this authorization. We will call you with updates.
  • Copayment: Depending on your insurance it is either a fixed or variable cost for a service made each time you use the service. Filling a prescription is an example.
  • In-Network Pharmacy: A pharmacy that contracts with insurance to offer services cheaper to members of that plan. Some plans tell you to use a certain pharmacy. We will tell you which pharmacy is best for your plan.

We will call you if a prescription sent to the D-H Specialty Pharmacy has issues with your insurance.

New prescriptions

To qualify for our program, you need to have a prescription for a specialty medication. This prescription may be sent to us by your provider. Also, through a transfer from an outside pharmacy or, you can bring in a paper prescription. After we get your prescription, we will work with your insurance company to determine the timeline for processing, including prior authorization, step therapy, copays and any out-of-pocket expenses.

We will contact you to discuss insurance requirements, shipping options, prescription costs, provide drug information, and answer any questions you may have.

Unless otherwise indicated, all prescriptions will be filled with an FDA-approved generic when available.

Refills

Our pharmacists will contact you monthly to schedule refills. Should you have a therapy change or need an early refill, please call the pharmacy and ask to speak to a Specialty Pharmacy employee.

Prescription transfers

If you are currently filling your specialty medications elsewhere and would like to transfer your care to the D-H Specialty Pharmacy, please call us. Please provide the name and number of your current specialty pharmacy. Our staff will transfer in the prescription and contact you when it is ready. We can also fill your other long-term medications as well.

Please ask a member of our staff for help. We may be unable to fill your specialty medication because some insurance plans may require you to fill your prescription at another pharmacy. Also, some manufacturers limit access to these medications. When this happens, we will notify you and work with your provider to send the prescription(s) to the correct pharmacy. If you have any questions about this process or if you need an update, please call us or email.

Clinical management

One of our pharmacists will contact you to review your medication

We will discuss:

  • How your medication works
  • How to take your medication
  • Potential interactions with other medications
  • Storage
  • Side effect monitoring
  • When to schedule lab work
  • When to contact your provider
  • Safe drug disposal
  • Scheduling your next refill
  • Confirmation of medication delivery details
  • Any questions you may have

Each person's therapy is different. The D-H Specialty Pharmacy will create a care plan to meet your specific needs. All discussions between you and the pharmacist are recorded in your medical record and made available to your provider.

We realize that your medical care may involve multiple providers and facilities. At the request of you or your provider, we are able to share your care plan.

If you do not want to receive Clinical Management phone calls, please contact us and ask to opt out.

Limitations

We will need your help so that we can help you. You must be willing to actively participate in our program. This allows access to the health care benefits provided by our specialty pharmacy team. This includes responding to our outreach calls and providing updates about your health. You need to be willing to take your medication on time and as instructed in order for it to work properly. Consultations with a pharmacist do not replace appointments with your provider.

Education

We provide the following resources to help you learn about your medical condition and treatment:

  • In person or by phone: Call us Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm
    • Local number: 603-653-3737
    • Toll-free number and email: Please see the Specialty Pharmacy toll-free number and email address in the "Contact us" drop-down in the upper-right corner of this page.
  • After hours: If you need help after hours, call the Specialty Pharmacy toll-free number (see the "Contact us" section at the top of this page).

Financial services

We work with your provider to get your new medication covered by sending a prior authorization to your plan. In case there is a denial, we will help with the appeal. Once approved, we will bill your plan to find the "copay." Since we are committed to your care, we will use every resource to lower this cost.

If you have questions, please call or email us:

  • Local number: 603-653-3737
  • Toll-free number and email: Please see the Specialty Pharmacy toll-free number and email address in the "Contact us" drop-down in the upper-right corner of this page.

Shipping information

Your refrigerated medications will be shipped overnight at no charge via FedEx or UPS. All non-refrigerated medications are shipped via FedEx, UPS, or USPS. We will contact you before shipping. We will confirm the shipping address and out-of-pocket expense. Please return our call as soon as possible to avoid delays.

Any mailed items are processed within 2 business days and will be delivered via courier within 3 to 5 business days. Tracking numbers are available upon request.

Should there be a delay, you will be notified to prevent interruptions in therapy. If our pharmacy is unable to provide your medication, we will help you get your medication from another pharmacy.

Please open your order and review the contents immediately after you receive them to ensure your order is correct and complete. We encourage you to store your medication properly as soon as possible. Please call the D-H Pharmacy within one business day to report missing or damaged contents.

Thank you for reading about the D-H Specialty Pharmacy. We welcome feedback and want to improve. If you're interested in mail order service, completing a satisfaction survey or customer complaint, or assigning a representative, call the Specialty Pharmacy.

To contact patient support and check a prescription status, call the pharmacy. For after-hours questions, use the prompts to speak with a member of our specialty staff.

Order delays, returns, and errors

If your order is delayed due to weather, out of stock, or insurance issues, the D-H Pharmacy will call you to avoid a missed dose. If you have questions about a missed dose, call or email us:

  • Local number: 603-653-3737
  • Toll-free number and email: Please see the Specialty Pharmacy toll-free number and email address in the "Contact us" drop-down in the upper-right corner of this page.

The New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy prevents medication returns after its sale. We strive to make sure your order is correct before leaving the site. If having a prescription mailed, open it immediately to ensure your order is complete.

It is your responsibility to contact the D-H Pharmacy within one business day to report missing or damaged contents.