Treating to Target FAQ
FAQs for Providers
Can I still use these treatment targets if my patient has psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis?
Yes. These treatment targets are specific to plaque psoriasis with US considerations in mind. These targets should guide treatment for your patients’ psoriasis. Other groups have published different treat to target recommendations for psoriatic arthritis.
Are there any other treatment targets out there for psoriasis?
Yes. Other groups have published different treatment recommendations for psoriasis in Europe and Canada.
Is the NPF Medical Roard recommending that certain treatments be used to meet these targets?
No. If someone does not meet their target, the recommended action is for the patient and provider to discuss treatment options. The provider-patient relationship remains sacrosanct. The targets are not a mandate that any particular treatment be changed or discontinued. The targets are a road map to help guide the treatment conversation between patient and provider.
What if my patient has specific circumstances that affect treatment decisions?
All patients are unique, and psoriasis is a highly variable disease. Providers may need to consider a variety of factors when deciding on a treatment plan, including other medical conditions a patient may have or contraindications for certain medications. Additionally, specific patient populations, such as children or pregnant women, may require additional considerations.
Should I use only one treatment to achieve this goal or can I use several in combination?
The targets do not specify any particular treatments that should be used to achieve clear skin. If a patient doesn’t meet the treatment goal right away, you have many different options to try. Using a combination of different treatments is one option, but so is switching to a different treatment, or increasing the dose of the treatment your patient is already on if appropriate.
Should these treatment targets be used by insurers to determine which treatments they will cover?
No. These targets should be used to guide the patient-provider dialogue and should not be used by insurers to deny coverage to any treatment.
What if my patient has difficulty getting access to the treatment we’ve agreed on?
NPF’s Patient Navigation Center can help your patients overcome barriers to obtaining the treatments you recommend. From learning how to apply for prescription assistance to appealing insurance denials, contacting the Patient Navigation Center is the first step toward better treatment access.
Could you remind me again what the targets are?
- After three months on a new treatment, the target is for a patient to have psoriasis on 1 percent or less of their body surface area (BSA).
- An acceptable response after three months is 3 percent BSA or less, or 75 percent improvement.
- If the acceptable response is met, you may decide to wait another three months for the patient to meet the target. If the target is not met after six months, or neither the target nor the acceptable response is met after three months, you should discuss other treatment options with your patient.