Human Resources: URAC BOD approves Pharmacy Quality Management programs

Washington, D.C. Aug. 5, 2008 –URAC’s Board of Directors has approved accreditation standards for two new Pharmacy Quality Managementsm programs, the Specialty Pharmacy and Mail Service Pharmacy accreditation programs. A third new program, Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) for Workers Compensation and Property and Casualty, will become available later in 2008.

The new programs follow URAC’s groundbreaking Pharmacy Benefit Management Accreditation standards released in July 2007. URAC offers the only third-party, voluntary accreditation program of this scope for the pharmacy benefit management and prescription services industries. All standards were developed by URAC’s Pharmacy Advisory Committee, which includes a wide range of stakeholders: employers, consumers, pharmacy consultants, health plans, retail pharmacy, pharmacy benefit management organizations, pharmacy professional organizations, labor, and large public purchasing groups. The committee considered public comments on its initial set of standards and reviewed the results of beta testing at 13 sites before submitting final program standards to URAC’s Board.

“These new accreditation programs are the next step in a comprehensive strategy to create standards that address the broad scope of pharmacy quality management practice,” said John Jones, RPh, JD, senior vice president of professional practice and pharmacy policy at Prescription Solutions and chairman of URAC’s Pharmacy Benefits Management Advisory Committee. “Organizations that specialize in these market segments will now have an opportunity to align their practices with industry-recognized standards and demonstrate their commitment to quality.”

The Specialty Pharmacy and Mail Service Pharmacy accreditations are designed for organizations involved in the hands-on delivery of these pharmacy services. Specialty pharmacy organizations offer a high touch, comprehensive care system for the distribution and administration of costly pharmaceuticals. These organizations provide the personalized, expert therapy management and support needed by patients with chronic illnesses and complex disease states. There are more than 140 million specialty pharmacy prescriptions filled per year, according to 2006 numbers.

Over the past decade, mail service pharmacies have represented the fastest growing distribution channel for prescription drugs. Mail service pharmacy is generally used by those who require maintenance medications for chronic conditions and prefer to receive these medications in supplies lasting longer than 30 days.

“These accreditation programs extend URAC’s emphasis on quality improvement and consumer protection that is central to our well-received Pharmacy Benefit Management program,” said Alan P. Spielman, URAC’s president and chief executive officer. “URAC developed the Specialty Pharmacy and Mail Service Pharmacy accreditation programs to provide a national framework to evaluate the quality of the important services provided by these organizations.”

URAC’s standards development process seeks the broadest possible input to ensure accreditation programs are meaningful to all stakeholders—consumers, purchasers, providers, regulators and the industry.

"The comprehensiveness of URAC's suite of pharmacy quality management accreditation products is useful to employers who support value-based purchasing," said Dawn Geren, healthcare manager for UPS and a member of URAC's Pharmacy Benefit Management Advisory Committee. "These new extender programs allow purchasers to compare quality across the diverse array of organizations that offer pharmacy benefit management and prescription services."

About URAC
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is well-known as a leader in promoting health care quality through its accreditation and education programs. URAC offers a wide range of quality benchmarking programs and services that keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a symbol of excellence for organizations to validate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in establishing meaningful quality measures for the entire health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.