Direct-to-Patient (DTP): Who Benefits - and Why It’s Different

To read Part 1, click here.

Two decades of well-intentioned patient support services have helped a sliver (about 5%) of new-to-brand patients navigate a system built for everyone but them. That was a start, not a finish. Expectations have moved on: policymakers want proof that every manufacturer dollar delivers value, and patients expect the kind of clear, convenient experience they get everywhere else.

The takeaway is simple - manufacturers should make this kind of support available to far more patients. The real question isn’t whether to scale; it’s how to take direct responsibility for the journey while still protecting provider autonomy and honoring patient choice.

What DTP is (and isn’t)

Direct-to-patient isn’t a cash-only storefront bolted onto a support program. Think of it as a patient-first layer that shows up the same way for everyone: you see the price before you commit, you choose how to get your medicine, you can check status in real time, and you can reach a real human when it matters - whether the fill goes through insurance, manufacturer assistance, or cash. Done right, DTP turns brand intent into durable trust and durable demand without leaning on the clinical decision.

It’s also not just a rebranded hub. Traditional service models, while valuable in their time, often rely on fragmented workflows and phone-based coordination. DTP goes further by creating a standardized, tech-enabled experience that’s both auditable and anchored in a patient-consented, longitudinal record, unlocking the ability to measure what matters: promise-date accuracy, time-to-doorstep, refill ease, days on therapy, and satisfaction. That lets manufacturers measure what actually matters - promise-date accuracy, time-to-doorstep, refill ease, days on therapy, and satisfaction for both patients and prescribers.

Who benefits - and how

Patients get the truth up front through a transparent affordability “waterfall” (covered benefit, copay support, assistance, then cash). They choose fulfillment - home delivery, a preferred local pharmacy, or a manufacturer program channel - without hidden nudges. They can track progress and reach a knowledgeable human when they hit a snag. Anxiety goes down, and fills go up.

Providers keep full clinical independence while shedding a lot of logistical ping-pong. When patients can see price, pick a path, and follow clear next steps, fewer calls bounce back to the office. The prescriber’s decision stands; DTP organizes everything that happens after.

Manufacturers finally align resources with outcomes instead of intermediaries’ margins. Configure onboarding rules, routing, and SLAs once, apply them consistently across markets, and you get a decision-grade view of access, speed, and persistence - something you can actually manage to.

Payers and policy stakeholders see more transparency and less waste. Clear disclosures, auditable routing, and standard experiences reduce rework and help demonstrate that there’s no steering.

Why now - and what to watch

Between MFN-era scrutiny and consumer expectations, there’s a real window to lead. You’ll know DTP is working when starts get faster without touching prescribing, abandonment fall, days on therapy rise, and satisfaction climbs for patients and providers alike. Those gains reinforce each other because the experience itself earns trust.

Bottom line: DTP isn’t about owning the prescription - it’s about owning the experience responsibly. When every patient can see price, choose fulfillment, track status, and reach a human, manufacturers stop outsourcing what defines their brand and start delivering what the system hasn’t: clarity, choice, and momentum on the path to therapy. That’s the power move.

About Chip Parkinson

Chip Parkinson is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gifthealth, a pioneering digital pharmacy platform focused on accelerating patient access and innovation in pharmaceutical services. Chip leads the company's strategic vision to transform the complex and fragmented patient journey, ensuring consumers receive clear, convenient, and affordable access to their prescribed medicines.

Prior to Gifthealth, Chip served as President of OmedaRx and Chief Pharmacy Officer for the Regence BlueCross BlueShield health plans, where he managed $1.7 billion in annual pharmacy spend for the Northwest United States. In this role, he led efforts to innovate the consumer pharmacy benefit experience.

Before joining Regence, Chip was Vice President, Managed Markets, and General Manager, Urology, at Myriad Genetics. During his tenure, he was instrumental in securing over 75 contracts with national and regional insurance carriers for the company’s diagnostic products. He also successfully led the initiative for Medicare reimbursement of Prolaris®, a prostate cancer prognostic assay, which subsequently was included in the NCCN Guidelines® for Prostate Cancer and saw more than 250% growth in year-over-year order volume.

Chip began his healthcare career with Pfizer Inc. in 1996. Over his 15 years with the company, he held various leadership roles in sales, communication, managed markets, and general management. He concluded his tenure as a Regional Business Director, where he was responsible for the profit and loss of a $275 million primary care portfolio in Massachusetts and the Southwest U.S.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chip-parkinson/