Planning Before the First Dose: Pre-Treatment Transition Strategies for Bispecific Antibody Therapy in Myeloma

In this episode, 'Planning Before the First Dose: Pre-Treatment Transition Strategies for Bispecific Antibody Therapy in Myeloma,' the oncology pharmacists explore the following question:

1. Transition planning needs to begin before the first dose is administered, not after step-up dosing is complete. What does that pre-treatment planning look like at your institution?

The panelists examined what effective pre-treatment transition planning looks like in practice, with a strong consensus that the process must begin with the patient: ensuring that treatment location preferences, comfort with academic versus community-based care, and willingness to travel for step-up dosing are understood and incorporated into the plan before the first dose is ever administered. The discussion also highlighted the critical role of proactive, multi-stakeholder communication in successful pre-treatment planning, describing a framework that engages the referring physician along with the community pharmacist, nursing coordinator, and nurse navigator in a coordinated outreach effort that clearly communicates the proposed treatment plan, anticipated start date, and the specific ask of the receiving community site. This allows potential barriers to be identified and addressed before they become obstacles to patient care. The panelists further emphasized that the infrastructure supporting that communication, including pre-established relationships with community partners, proactive outreach to identify which sites can support bispecific antibody maintenance dosing, and direct-access hotlines that allow community providers to reach academic attending physicians in real time, is what transforms good intentions into consistently seamless transitions across care settings.

Throughout the conversation, the experts provide a comprehensive reflection on the field and the factors that may shape how clinicians approach care moving forward.

The next episode in this series, 'When It Works: Best-Case Scenarios and Lessons Learned From Successful Care Transitions in Myeloma,' features the panelists advancing their conversation on multiple myeloma and focusing on real-world examples of patient transitions that went well.