What key topics will be covered at Hub West 2026?
The 2026 agenda centers on the forces reshaping hub and specialty pharmacy models: regulatory and policy shifts including the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), PBM reform, and evolving state and federal policy; building agile, scalable hub programs — including when to move from insourced to outsourced models; using AI and digital health to strengthen patient engagement and adherence; and maintaining compliance as enforcement trends tighten.
What is a direct-to-patient (D2P) model?
A direct-to-patient (D2P) model is a specialty therapy fulfillment and support approach that connects patients more directly to their medication and services, reducing the number of intermediaries between prescription and first dose. The goal is to improve access, affordability, and adherence by simplifying the patient journey and shortening the time from diagnosis to treatment.
What is the Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Models West conference about?
Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Models West (Hub West) is an Informa Connect conference focused on optimizing hub and specialty pharmacy operations to improve patient access and outcomes. It brings manufacturers, hubs, specialty pharmacies, and distribution partners together to problem-solve rising costs, complex regulation, and a patient journey that too often stalls between prescription and first dose. Access, affordability, and adherence are exactly what D2 Solutions works on every day, and what Dean Erhardt's session and D2's meetings at the event are built around.
Who from D2 Solutions is attending Hub West?
Dean Erhardt (President & CEO) and Ray Rede (Managing Director, Manufacturer Services) are attending Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Models West 2026 and available for meetings on September 1–2, 2026.
What will Dean Erhardt's session on direct-to-patient programs cover?
Session Title: The Future of Direct-to-Patient Programs – Redefining Access, Affordability and Adherence for Patient Need
Direct-to-patient (DTP) programs are rapidly evolving into powerful tools that connect pharmaceutical manufacturers directly with patients, to address critical barriers in access, affordability and adherence. This session delves into how pharma leaders are reimagining DTP models to create meaningful, measurable impacts for both patients and brands.
- Understand the different considerations, and lay out an evaluation framework, to determine if DTP is viable for your current portfolio makeup
- Learn how innovative technologies and patient-centric approaches are transforming DTP programs into growth engines that solve friction points and enhance the patient experience
- Examine how to navigate regulatory pressures, competitive dynamics and market complexities to design next-generation DTP programs tailored to patient and brand needs
- Explore strategies for building customized DTP models, whether cash, coverage or hybrid, that maximize access, affordability and adherence while fostering patient trust
- Discover how data and analytics frameworks are being used to measure, refine and optimize the success of DTP programs on patient outcomes and brand performance
Where and when is Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Models West 2026?
Hub and Specialty Pharmacy Models West 2026 is September 1–2, 2026 at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa in San Diego, California.
What did D2's 2026 Patient Access Survey find?
D2 Solutions' 2026 Patient Access Barriers survey of 1,000 U.S. adults (age 25+) put hard numbers behind a problem the industry has long felt: access and communication gaps are pushing patients off therapy before they ever start. 21% delayed starting a prescribed medication because of confusion or access issues, 11% never picked it up, 12% skipped doses, and 8% stopped early. Nearly half of prescriptions required prior authorization, 22% of patients said approval took longer than expected, and 47% described their most recent medication start with words like anxiety, confusion, or feeling "in limbo" — while only 20% called it "strong." As Dean Erhardt has put it, these aren't just paperwork hurdles; when communication breaks down, patients disengage before treatment begins. It's the case for direct-to-patient models built on speed, transparency, and proactive engagement. Connect with the team to get the full findings.
