Palliative Drug Care

What Palliative Drug Care does

Palliative Drug Care (doing business as PDC Rx) is a hospice-focused pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The company, legally organized as Interchange Rx LLC, serves hospice organizations across the United States by managing end-of-life medication benefits — negotiating drug pricing, processing pharmacy claims, providing clinical pharmacy support, and operating a national network of local pharmacy partners. Its two primary customer segments are hospice agencies seeking cost containment and clinical expertise in palliative pharmacotherapy, and independent community pharmacies seeking fair reimbursement and predictable payment terms.

The company's technology platform centers on a cloud-based hospice PBM solution with API-based EMR integration spanning 27+ platforms (including Epic, Cerner, WellSky, MatrixCare, Brightree, and Netsmart), enabling real-time flow of patient demographics, allergies, and medication coverage data. Supporting modules include a complimentary cloud-based ePrescribing platform compliant with EPCS mandates, a real-time on-demand reporting portal that customers use to achieve an average 11% savings on pharmacy costs, a customizable dynamic formulary co-developed with hospice clinicians, integrated monthly billing that consolidates pharmacy claims, and 24/7/365 in-house customer support staffed by full-time employees rather than third-party outsourcers.

PDC Rx generates revenue through PBM service fees derived from the spread between negotiated drug acquisition costs and customer reimbursement, structured as subscription-based recurring engagements. GTM is enterprise field sales targeting hospice organizations via direct outreach, clinical demonstrations, and conference participation across state hospice associations. In July 2025, PDC Rx consolidated with AvaCare under Interchange Rx LLC, combining two hospice PBMs with CEO Mark Lewandowski leading the combined entity, Paul Hagen continuing as President and Founder, and Tammi Summers joining as Senior Vice President. The merged entity positions itself as a scaled hospice PBM with national reach, though the company remains privately held with no disclosed external institutional ownership or funding history.

Name

Palliative Drug Care

Legal name

Interchange Rx, LLC

Website

https://pdcrx.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PDC Rx (Palliative Drug Care) is a national hospice-focused pharmacy benefit manager providing medication management, formulary, EMR integration, and clinical pharmacy services to hospice organizations and a national network of local pharmacies across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice Pharmacy Benefit Management

NAICS

Pharmacy Benefit Management and Other Third Party Administration of Insurance and Pension Funds (524292)

SIC

Hospital & Medical Service Plans (6324)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Pharmacy Benefit Management (Specialty PBM) (HLAEAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

PBM Technology Platforms (ePA/eRx/Real-Time Benefit Tools) (HLAEAKAL), Prior Authorization, Utilization Management & Step Therapy (HLAEAKAG)

Keywords

• Hospice pharmacy management
• Pharmacy benefit management
• Hospice medication services
• EMR integration platform
• Formulary management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulsa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Pharmacy Benefit Management Services: PDC Rx acts as a hospice pharmacy benefit manager, negotiating discounted medication pricing for hospice organizations and generating revenue through PBM service fees. The company acquires medications at discounted rates and passes savings to hospice customers, with revenue derived from the spread between acquisition cost and reimbursement rates. Services include formulary management, claims processing, clinical support, and pharmacy network management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PDC Rx operates as a hospice Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM), negotiating discounted medication pricing on behalf of hospice organizations and delivering services through a cloud-based platform. Core offerings include formulary management, ePrescribing compliant with EPCS mandates, real-time reporting and analytics, and clinical pharmacist consultations for CMS compliance. The company also maintains a national network of local pharmacies that dispense hospice medications with fair reimbursement and twice-monthly payments to pharmacy partners.

Product overview

PDC Rx operates as a hospice Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) offering a unified platform solution with multiple integrated service modules. The core product is the PDC Rx Hospice PBM Solution, which is enhanced by add-on modules including ePrescribing, EMR Integration (supporting over 27 EMR platforms), Reporting & Analytics with real-time on-demand reporting, Clinical Expertise with pharmacist consultations, Best Industry Pricing, Dynamic Formulary, Integrated Billing, 24/7/365 Customer Support, and Coast-to-Coast Mail-Order services. The company also maintains a national network of local pharmacy partners. In July 2025, PDC Rx consolidated with AvaCare under Interchange Rx LLC to form a unified entity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PDC Rx Hospice PBM Solution A comprehensive pharmacy benefit management solution specifically designed for hospice organizations, providing customized solutions for managing hospice medications, reducing costs, and improving patient outcomes through negotiated drug pricing, formulary management, claims processing, clinical support, and pharmacy network management.
• Hospice Pharmacy Network A national network of local/independent pharmacies partnered with PDC Rx to ensure timely medication access for hospice patients, supported by fair reimbursement and twice-monthly payments to pharmacy partners.
• Coast-to-Coast Mail-Order Pharmacy Nationwide mail-order pharmacy services provided by PDC Rx to supplement or replace local pharmacy delivery when needed, ensuring coast-to-coast hospice medication access.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11% average savings on pharmacy costs through real-time reporting and formulary compliance optimization

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration23 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AvaCarecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 July 2025PDC Rx and AvaCare announced consolidation to form a unified entity operating under Interchange Rx LLC. The merger combines clinical solutions, scalable technologies, and client-focused cultures to improve product offerings in the hospice PBM market. Mark Lewandowski serves as CEO, Tammi Summers (former AvaCare President) appointed as Senior Vice President. The combined organization positions itself as a significant player in hospice pharmacy benefit management.
• Healthcare FirstcoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using Healthcare First software.
• WellSkycoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using WellSky software.
• KantimecoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using Kantime software.
• EpiccoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using Epic software.
• Curantis SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using Curantis software.
• BrightreecoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using Brightree software.
• NetsmartcoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using Netsmart software.
• MatrixCarecoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using MatrixCare software.
• McKessoncoreTechnology or IntegrationEMR integration partner providing electronic medical record connectivity for hospice organizations using McKesson software.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• CVS Caremark: CVS Caremark is a top-three U.S. PBM with broad formulary management, claims processing, and specialty pharmacy capabilities; its scale and hospice-adjacent specialty offerings make it a credible broader incumbent competitor if hospice operators consolidate toward large generalist PBMs.
• PharMerica: PharMerica is a large U.S. institutional pharmacy services company (now owned by BrightSpring) serving skilled nursing, assisted living, and hospice/post-acute care; its hospice and palliative care pharmacy business overlaps with PDC Rx's hospice PBM offerings through a broader institutional portfolio.
• OptumRx (UnitedHealth Group): OptumRx is one of the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit managers and part of UnitedHealth Group; while primarily serving commercial and Medicare plans, its specialty/post-acute capabilities represent potential competitive overlap if it chooses to prioritize hospice as a vertical against niche players like PDC Rx.

Others

• Encompass Health / Enhabit Hospice: Enhabit (spun out of Encompass Health) operates one of the largest U.S. hospice and home health provider networks; as a major hospice customer/operator it is an adjacent ecosystem participant that shapes hospice PBM purchasing decisions and could be a partner or customer relationship for PDC Rx.

Direct peers

• OnePoint Patient Care: OnePoint Patient Care is one of the largest dedicated hospice pharmacy and PBM providers in the U.S., offering local same-day medication delivery, clinical support, and EMR-integrated ordering — directly competing with PDC Rx for hospice organization contracts across the same national footprint.
• Delta Care Rx: Delta Care Rx is a hospice-focused pharmacy benefit manager providing medication management, clinical pharmacy consulting, and dispensing services specifically tailored to hospice and palliative care organizations, competing directly with PDC Rx for hospice customer contracts.
• ProCare HospiceCare: ProCare HospiceCare is a national hospice pharmacy benefit management company offering customized formularies, clinical pharmacist support, and medication fulfillment specifically designed for hospice providers, directly comparable to PDC Rx's hospice PBM offering.
• Clarest Health (formerly HospiScript / Hospice Pharmacia): Clarest Health operates a hospice-focused pharmacy benefit management and clinical pharmacy platform serving hospice providers nationwide, with formulary management, medication therapy management, and EMR integration — the closest head-to-head direct competitor to PDC Rx in the hospice PBM niche.
• AvaCare (now part of Interchange Rx): AvaCare was a hospice PBM that consolidated with PDC Rx under Interchange Rx LLC in July 2025; prior to the merger it was a directly comparable hospice PBM serving hospice organizations with clinical pharmacy services, formulary management, and pharmacy network solutions.

Emerging players

• Consonus Pharmacy: Consonus Pharmacy provides long-term care and post-acute pharmacy services including hospice medication management, serving overlapping customer segments as PDC Rx but with a broader post-acute focus rather than a hospice-exclusive PBM model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pdcrx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_tUQCPfsAwwDX2Te9BK5qw
• Facebookfacebook.com/pdcrx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2493348

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Palliative Drug Care