Jan 6, 2026
When Himanshu Patel, the Practice Administrator at Allergy and Rheumatology Specialists of Houston, first heard about Tandem, he didn’t believe it.
“Everybody talks a big game. Let’s just try one prescription and see what happens.”
What followed was a complete shift in how his small team manages specialty medications and prior authorizations (PAs) by turning to Tandem as a core operating platform for the practice.
Location
Houston, TX
Size
1 physician
Specialty
Allergy and Rheumatology
The Challenge: Slow Starts, Manual Work
Before Tandem, specialty medication access was defined by different obstacles and delays.
Specialty pharmacies took anywhere from 2-7 days just to notify the practice a PA was required
Remote staff juggled 10-15 active PAs at a given point in time, bouncing between payer portals, calls, and faxes
Appeals required custom letters and more time-consuming follow-up
“It would take almost three weeks before patients got their first dose. Time was our biggest issue.”
With only one prescriber and a small hybrid team, every delay hurt both workflow and patient experience.
Tandem as a Command Center (and the First Prescription That Changed Everything)
Himanshu didn’t expect Tandem to work the way it was described. So he tried just one prescription the same afternoon his onboarding call ended.
“The approval came back in two days. We’re like okay, send another one."
Within that week, the practice sent 30-40 prescriptions through Tandem. The first denial was another turning point:
“Tandem asked if I wanted to file an appeal, and the letter they generated was better than what I would’ve written."
From there, Tandem became part of his daily workflow. He scans Tandem first thing every morning for PA updates, clinical decision points, and signature requirements. Staff monitor tasks in the portal to coordinate next steps and reach out to the Tandem team if needed.
From Skeptic to Advocate
Himanshu now routes 100% of specialty pharmacy prescriptions through Tandem and recommends it widely to peers.
Here’s the impact he attributes directly to Tandem:
Start times dropped from ~3 weeks to under 7 days
Appeals handled automatically
Higher practice capacity, even without adding staff
Smoother patient experience, including updates and affordability support
“You guys have done exactly what you said you would. I definitely recommend Tandem – any practice, small or large, would benefit.”
What began as a cautious experiment has led to a transformed command center, with Tandem as one of the most reliable tools at the practice.
Supporting Your Practice
If your allergy, rheumatology, or specialty practice is ready to streamline prior authorizations and accelerate access to therapy, sign up your practice for Tandem today or book a demo to learn more.