In response to the increasing restrictions surrounding specialty pharmaceuticals, a small but growing number of health systems have launched their own specialty pharmacy operations.

With more medications falling under the control of alternate distribution channels, significant concerns exist as to the provision of safe handling, storage, temperature control, security, and chain of control. As a result, those facilities permitting white and brown bagging of medications remain in the minority. Notably, few of the facilities permitting these practices receive any reimbursement for their efforts