Penn Highlands Specialty Pharmacy Earns Dual Accreditation, Expanding Access To Complex Care

Healthcare system elevates patient care standards with URAC and ACHC specialty pharmacy recognitions

Penn Highlands Specialty Pharmacy has achieved a major milestone by earning dual accreditation from URAC and the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).

This prestigious double recognition demonstrates Penn Highlands Specialty Pharmacy’s commitment to the highest standards of quality care, performance, patient safety and operational excellence.

Penn Highlands Specialty Pharmacy, located at 720 S. Main Street in DuBois, is a state-licensed pharmacy that provides medications for people with complex medical conditions, such as cancer, autoimmune disorders and other specialty conditions. By meeting the high standards of both accrediting bodies, Penn Highlands Specialty Pharmacy has established itself as a trusted partner for patients, providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

“Achieving dual accreditation from URAC and ACHC is a reflection of our team’s dedication to clinical excellence,” said Michelle Bennett, Pharm D, BCPS, System Director, Retail Pharmacy, at Penn Highlands Healthcare. “This is considered the gold standard for specialty pharmacies. For our patients, this means they are receiving the highest level of safe, coordinated and cost-effective care available.”

Specialty pharmacies that earn dual accreditation must show they have implemented robust clinical protocols, medication management programs and ongoing monitoring to ensure that patients receive the proper education, support and clinical oversight. The accreditations also require pharmacies to have comprehensive quality assurance programs in place, including medication safety checks and performance improvement initiatives.

By earning URAC and ACHC credentials, Penn Highlands Specialty Pharmacy can expand care opportunities, increase patient access to covered services and offer a wider range of specialized medications. This expanded reach enables Penn Highlands Healthcare to serve more patients requiring high-cost or complex therapies while ensuring seamless continuity of care within their insurance and treatment plans.

“Now more than ever, specialty pharmacies are an essential part of the patient care team and patient experience,” said URAC President and CEO Shawn Griffin, MD. “URAC congratulates Penn Highlands Healthcare on their achievement of Specialty Pharmacy Accreditation. This achievement demonstrates excellence in pharmacy operations, product handling, patient education and patient management. When an organization achieves URAC accreditation, they demonstrate their commitment to improving their quality of care, which is important to patients, providers and payers.”

URAC is an independent leader in promoting health care quality by setting high standards for clinical practice, consumer protections, performance measurement and operations infrastructure.

ACHC, an internationally recognized accrediting body, validates that a healthcare organization’s policies, processes and care delivery meet recognized standards for quality and safety.

This is the second accreditation recognition for Penn Highlands Specialty Pharmacy in as many weeks. Earlier, the pharmacy earned Healthcare Merchant Accreditation from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP), which recognizes safe and legitimate health care and health care-adjacent entities around the world.