NABP Community Pharmacy Accreditation — Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions from independent and retail community pharmacies about NABP Community Pharmacy Accreditation. For situation-specific guidance, schedule a free discovery session.
What is NABP Community Pharmacy Accreditation?
NABP Community Pharmacy Accreditation is a 3-year voluntary accreditation program for community pharmacies that wish to demonstrate compliance with a comprehensive set of practice standards and consistency in delivering optimal patient care. It is best suited for pharmacies providing an advanced level of patient care services, quality, and safety that want to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.
Is Community Pharmacy Accreditation required by law?
No. Unlike NABP's DMEPOS and Home Infusion programs — which are required by CMS for Medicare billing — Community Pharmacy Accreditation is voluntary. Pharmacies pursue it to demonstrate quality, differentiate in their market, support payer network participation, and establish a framework for advanced clinical services.
What types of pharmacies are eligible?
Eligible pharmacies must be licensed US pharmacies with current, active licenses in all practice jurisdictions. The pharmacy must predominantly serve human patients (veterinary volume less than 20%), must not be in a personal residence, must have been operational at least 30 days, and must have a licensed pharmacist-in-charge in full and actual charge of operations.
How does Community Pharmacy Accreditation differ from specialty pharmacy accreditation?
Community Pharmacy Accreditation is designed for pharmacies serving a general patient population with standard dispensing and clinical services. Specialty pharmacy accreditation (URAC, ACHC, NABP, NASP) is designed for pharmacies handling complex specialty medications requiring specialized patient management and clinical outcome tracking. Some pharmacies hold both. IHS advises clients on the right accreditation strategy for their specific service mix.
How long does Community Pharmacy Accreditation last?
NABP Community Pharmacy Accreditation is issued for a 3-year term. Reaccreditation requires a new application and review at the end of the cycle. IHS supports both initial accreditation and reaccreditation engagements.
Does Community Pharmacy Accreditation require compounding compliance?
For pharmacies performing non-sterile compounding, NABP requires compliance with USP Chapter 795. Sterile compounding requires USP Chapter 797. Compounding activities must be documented and quality-tested. Pharmacies that do not compound are evaluated only on non-compounding standards.
What is NABP's unapproved prescription drug evaluation policy?
NABP requires pharmacies to know the drug approval status for each prescription drug they handle. For drugs that have not undergone FDA approval, pharmacies must self-assess eligibility within NABP's unapproved prescription drug evaluation policy. This is particularly relevant for pharmacies that compound or dispense certain categories of non-FDA-approved products.
Can a pharmacy with clinical services programs pursue Community Pharmacy Accreditation?
Yes — pharmacies with clinical services programs (MTM, immunizations, point-of-care testing, collaborative practice) are ideal candidates. The standards include provisions for clinical services quality, patient counseling, and outcome monitoring that support accreditation as a clinical services credential in addition to an operational compliance credential.
Does Community Pharmacy Accreditation require a quality assurance program?
Yes. The pharmacy must maintain a formal QA program monitoring dispensing errors, near-misses, patient complaints, and clinical outcomes. QA data must be reviewed at defined intervals, trends analyzed, and corrective actions documented. Many community pharmacies have informal quality tracking that needs to be formalized before applying for accreditation.
How does IHS help community pharmacies achieve accreditation?
IHS provides gap assessment against NABP's Community Pharmacy standards, policy and program development, pre-accreditation review, and application preparation. Thomas G. Goddard, JD, PhD — IHS's principal consultant and former Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of URAC — leads every engagement with direct attention to your pharmacy's service profile, patient population, and clinical programs.
More Questions?
Schedule a Free Discovery Session with IHS to discuss your community pharmacy's accreditation questions.