Through the UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy, patients with chronic and complex conditions can now be served directly by our pharmacy team. UCSF Health began offering specialty medications in 2017 through the Liver Disease and Liver Transplant Clinic, when an embedded clinical pharmacist helped ensure safe and appropriate use of hepatitis C medications. The integration of a pharmacist/pharmacy technician into UCSF Health’s ambulatory clinic resulted in improved quality of care by facilitating medication access, reducing costs and tracking patient outcomes.

The UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy supports integrated care for our patients with chronic and complex diseases that require specialized therapies and customized pharmacy services. Our pharmacists have access to patients’ complete medical records, allowing them to function as a part of the clinical team.

The UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy care team will facilitate medication access by reducing time for prior authorization and educating patients on administration techniques, management of side effects, and drug interactions. Our goal is to work with providers, patients and their caregivers to help patients achieve the best possible outcome from their therapy.

The UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy care team offers support to providers and patients by:​

• Asthma and allergy
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Atopic dermatitis
• Autoimmune disorders
• Cancer
• Crohn's disease
• Cystic fibrosis
• Endocrine disorders
• Enzyme deficiencies 
• Growth hormone deficiencies
• Hemophilia
• Hepatitis
• HIV/AIDS
• Infertility 
• Irritable bowel disease
• Multiple sclerosis 
• Solid organ transplant
• Osteoarthritis
• Psoriasis
• Psoriatic Arthritis 
• Pulmonary arterial hypertension
• Rheumatoid arthritis 
• Ulcerative colitis 

The Specialty Pharmacy retail location is in UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center at Parnassus Heights, 505 Parnassus Ave., Room M39. Pharmacists and/or pharmacy technicians are available to support patients directly in the ambulatory clinics, as well. 

Our service has been set up to reduce as much burden as possible on your staff. You can refer patients by: 

• E-Prescribing to UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy 
• Faxing prescriptions to 415-353-8548
• Calling in prescriptions to 415-353-1544

The UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy support team will manage the paperwork and communicate with payers and patients, thus alleviating the workload from your staff.

UCSF Health has made a significant investment in people and processes to ensure the UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy meets the highest standards in the industry, including:

1. Creating a team of experts

• Clinical pharmacists who serve as a resource and support to clinics
• A specialty pharmacy support team skilled in authorization processes and financial assistance support who contact patients regarding deliveries and refills

    2.  Investing in clinical software to track and report patient outcomes 

    3. Seeking national accreditation 

The UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy will directly communicate with patients who have insurance that we service. If we are unable to dispense the medication, we will contact the prescriber and patients immediately. Should there be questions, please contact the Specialty Pharmacy care team at 415-353-1544 or [email protected]. As we add payer contracts, we will let your offices know.

Please contact the UCSF Health Specialty Pharmacy care team at:

505 Parnassus Ave., M39, San Francisco, CA 94143
Phone: 415-353-1544 | Fax: 415-353-8548
Email: [email protected]