The URAC Awards KSP as a Top-Performing Specialty Pharmacy Committed to Making Key Contributions to Advance Performance Measurement Within Accreditation Programs

Image Credit: © Karmanos Cancer Institute

The Utilization Review Accreditation Commission (URAC) has awarded KSP, McLaren’s Specialty Pharmacy, as a 2022 Pioneer in URAC’s Leaders in Performance Measurement (LPM) in their recognition program. This distinction shows that KSP has demonstrated a commitment to improving healthcare quality through performance measurement.

As a specialty pharmacy, KSP provides needed medications and therapeutics at an affordable cost for patients with complex diseases or whose care requires high-cost treatments. Being a Pioneer in Performance Management means KSP is going above mandatory reporting requirements, which helps to provide insights into cutting-edge measurement concepts.

“At KSP, we’re committed to the patients we serve and in the work that we do to help their health care needs, we want to ensure we are making a difference,” said Stephen Smith, MS, RPh, FASHP, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Karmanos Cancer Hospital and KSP. “Our team at KSP has done a tremendous job expanding our services beyond oncologic agents, ensuring a seamless continuum of care through each patient’s therapy journey.”

Within the URAC’s LPM programs, this award recognizes KSP as a leader among the Specialty Pharmacy programs. When evaluating specialty pharmacies, the URAC’s Quality, Research and Measurement Team considered data collected between January 1 through December 31, 2022. Along with the data, specialty pharmacies must meet specific criteria, including holding a current and full URAC accreditation status, submitting measures on time for the reporting period, and participating in key activities beyond mandatory requirements. This is KSP’s first time receiving LPM recognition.

“When KSP started in 2019 as McLaren’s preferred specialty pharmacy, the goal was to fill a need throughout Michigan by providing patients who have complex diseases the medications they can’t receive at their nearby pharmacy,” said Justin Klamerus, M.D., MMM, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at McLaren Health Care. “All while expanding services, KSP staff has been dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the many populations McLaren serves, and beyond. I commend their hard work on meeting and exceeding accreditation standards and for being named a Pioneer by URAC.”

KSP achieved URAC Specialty Pharmacy full accreditation in 2020. For full accreditation, the organization is evaluated based on risk management standards, operations and infrastructure, performance monitoring and improvement, consumer protection and empowerment, pharmacy operations, medication distribution, patient service and communication, patient management, and reporting performance measures to the URAC.

Providing medications for patients with complex diseases, KSP supplies special oral oncologic agents, treatments for HIV, gastroenterology, neurology, and many others. As an extension of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, part of McLaren Health Care, KSP has grown to assist with the specialty needs of all McLaren patients in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana. Learn more about KSP at ksppharmacy.org.