For most, a winter storm is an inconvenience. But for Evernorth’s Express Scripts Specialty Distribution Services (ESSDS) team, it’s something more serious – a potential disruption to thousands of patients relying on critical specialty medications.
ESSDS is a specialty pharmacy with a dedicated staff who are experts in treating patients with complex sleep disorders. The team consists of specially trained pharmacists, nurses, reimbursement specialists, and patient service coordinators who work to ensure patients have access to these essential therapies when and where they need them. Their dedicated pharmacy based in St. Louis dispenses hundreds of thousands of prescriptions annually.
When a major winter storm hit the St. Louis region on January 5, 2025, there was no hesitation. “We saw reports of a storm coming a few days prior,” said Chris Greer, senior manager of fulfillment operations. “We knew we had to act fast to deliver for patients that rely on us.”
Greer and senior staff secured hotel rooms near the pharmacy, ensuring colleagues essential to helping dispense these medications could do so. The impacts of the storm were heavy snow and sleet. By the time the storm hit, the team had 900 shipments to process.
Watch the video to learn how these pharmacy technicians, managers, and support staff bundled up and got to work – and went above and beyond.
