Case study: OptiMiSe for MS nurses

OptiMiSe was launched in 2016 to support Multiple Sclerosis Specialist Nurses (MSSNs) in the provision of individualised care to patients living with MS. At that time, challenges faced by MSSNs were deemed to be impacting patient access to recommended care – potentially leading to delays in receiving treatment that reduce relapses and disability.

In 2017, while OptiMiSe was proving successful at empowering MSSNs to make clinical practice changes, results from the OptiMiSe Outcomes Audit and Personal Reflection feedback identified gaps in service provision affecting access to treatment due to inadequate infrastructure and skills gaps. As such, it was clear that in 2018 an approach with greater tailoring and increased touchpoints throughout the year was necessary to engender stepwise, ongoing developments to overcome the issues identified.

More than half of MSSNs based in the UK are engaged in OptiMiSe, impacting over 60,000 patients with MS. As a result, more patients are receiving a NICE-mandated annual review and benefiting from a range of NICE- recommended care. Furthermore, 100% of the MSSNs engaged in OptiMiSe agreed that their service is more patient-centric, an RPS-defined principle of medicines optimisation, as a result of making their defined clinical practice change.

In addition, OptiMiSe has directly led to NHS cost savings, the creation of at least one new local infusion service, and another service developing towards becoming a new prescribing centre. It has also resulted in Sanofi Genzyme SOM-led support for MSSNs at different centres to implement new patient pathways across the full spectrum of MS.

“OptiMiSe has evolved to become an integral arm of our Added-Value offering, and we are hugely proud that the programme has enabled incredible service changes, from relapse and review pathways identifying patients needing treatment changes, to safer monitoring processes, and new local outpatient infusion services – including playing a large part in one that has enabled access to one of our products for many new patients while saving the NHS £48,000 annually versus the pre-existing centralised inpatient model. The feedback that we consistently receive from our customers leaves us in no doubt of the value we are bringing to their services and ultimately to people with MS.” Sanofi Genzyme