Customers can now offer comprehensive patient care and clinical expertise for specialty prescriptions

Smith Drug Company (SDC) and Diplomat Retail Specialty Network have come together to offer SDC customers access to specialty pharmacy services. This agreement, unique in the independent retail pharmacy market, enables pharmacies to provide full service specialty pharmacy for patients with complex chronic diseases.

“Our customer pharmacies are very often the first source of healthcare services for their patients,” explained Brian Purscell, RPh, Senior Vice President, Pharmacy solutions for Smith Drug Company. “These pharmacists can now offer specialty pharmacy services for chronic conditions, including cancer, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis and other serious, long-term conditions, with the support of a national organization, renowned for patient care. Our agreement with Diplomat means expanded services for our customers, and better patient care overall.”

Diplomat will work with Smith Drug Company to provide 24/7 access to specialty pharmacists and technicians, improved medication adherence and reducing patient costs. Specialty pharmacy services can be branded to the individual pharmacy, so that the patient stays with the pharmacy team they know and trust, while customer service for this highly complex offering is managed with the care and expertise patients have come to expect from their local store.

“Smith Drug Company is known industry-wide for its customer service, and Diplomat is excited to be working with a large network of independent pharmacies so that their patients can receive the care they need close to home.” Stated Diplomat official.

“Smith Drug Company is committed to doing what is best for the patient, and we believe offering our customers the opportunity to expand their pharmacy services into specialty care through Diplomat is just that: what is best for the patient. As an organization led by pharmacists, we understand the challenges in today’s pharmacy market, and our agreement with Diplomat helps our customers not only meet those challenges, but excel,” said Jeff Foreman, RPh, president of Smith Drug Company.

Smith Drug Company is the original division of J M Smith Corporation, and one of America’s premier wholesale drug distributors. Launched in 1944, the division serves pharmacies in 25 states, the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands through distribution centers in Spartanburg; Paragould, AR; and Valdosta, GA.

South Carolina’s third-largest privately owned company, the J M Smith Corporation is headquartered in Spartanburg and operates through multiple business units: Smith Drug Company, QS/1, Integral Solutions Group, RxMedic Systems, Inc., and Integra LTC Solutions, LLC.

Diplomat (NYSE: DPLO) serves patients and physicians in all 50 states. Headquartered in Flint, Michigan, the company focuses on medication management programs for people with complex chronic diseases, including oncology, immunology, hepatitis, multiple sclerosis, specialized infusion therapy and many other serious or long-term conditions. Diplomat opened its doors in 1975 as a neighborhood pharmacy with one essential tenet: “Take good care of patients, and the rest falls into place.” Today, that tradition continues—always focused on improving patient care and clinical adherence. For more information visit www.diplomat.is. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn and like us on Facebook.