The partnership will support patients through personalized care, medications, and coordination
Shields Health Solutions (Shields), the premier specialty pharmacy accelerator in the country, has partnered with Lakeland Regional Health, one of Florida’s leading healthcare providers, to improve access to specialty medications for patients managing chronic and complex health conditions.
This enhanced collaboration is designed to support patients who rely on specialty medications to treat conditions such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune diseases. It will also strengthen care coordination across Lakeland Regional Health’s provider network by integrating Shields’ care model and expertise in specialty pharmacy.
“Lakeland Regional Health is known for delivering compassionate, high-quality care to patients across Central Florida,” said Michael Ham, CEO of Shields Health Solutions. “We’re proud to support their teams by expanding access to specialty medications and helping patients manage complex therapies more affordably and effectively.”
Through this partnership, patients will benefit from personalized support services, including help navigating insurance coverage and financial assistance programs, which aim to reduce out-of-pocket costs, improve medication adherence, and ensure timely access to critical therapies. The initial focus of the collaboration will be on oncology and rheumatology with plans to expand into additional specialties over time. Shields currently partners with nearly 80 health systems nationwide, helping patients receive medications faster, reduce co-pays, and improve health outcomes.
“At Lakeland Regional Health, we are committed to removing barriers to care and ensuring our patients have access to the treatments they need,” said Ana Kalman, SVP, Chief Information Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Medical Center COO of Lakeland Regional Health. “Partnering with Shields allows us to enhance our specialty pharmacy services and deliver even greater value to our community.”
For more information, visit www.shieldshealthsolutions.com.
About Shields Health Solutions
Shields Health Solutions (Shields) is the premier specialty pharmacy accelerator in the country. The Shields Performance Platform — an integrated set of solutions, services, and technology — is intentionally designed to elevate payer and drug access for specialty pharmacies, elevate health outcomes for complex patients, and elevate growth throughout the entire health system. As the foremost experts in the health system specialty pharmacy industry, Shields has a proven track record of success including access to over 90% of all limited distribution drugs (LDDs) and most payers in the nation, and a clinical model proven to lower total cost of care by 13%. In partnership with nearly 80 health systems across the country, Shields is committed to delivering measurable clinical and financial results. For more, follow us on social media, @ShieldsRX, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.
About Lakeland Regional Health Partners
Not-for-profit Lakeland Regional Health reaches beyond its hospital walls to promote wellness, education, and discovery in new places and new ways, providing a wide range of inpatient and outpatient healthcare services at its Medical Center, Hollis Cancer Center, and ambulatory care locations. Lakeland Regional Health earned Most Wired Advanced and Most Wired status ten times since 2013 and has earned workplace awards from Forbes, Gallup, and Becker’s Hospital Review. Its 910-bed comprehensive tertiary referral hospital, Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center, operates the Jack and Tina Harrell Family Institute for Advanced Cardiovascular Medicine; a Level II Trauma Center; the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children, which includes a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; the Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine; and the Harrell Family Center for Behavioral Wellness.
Contact
Shields Contacts
Shields Health Solutions
Crystal Chuckel, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer
cchuckel@shieldsrx.com