How 4 systems are investing in specialty pharmacy services

By: Alexandra Murphy

Health systems nationwide are making investments in specialty pharmacy and centralized pharmacy services to help enhance care for patients, streamline operations and improve medication access.

Here are some of the systems that plan to launch specialty pharmacies in late 2025 and 2026.

Cottage Health (Santa Barbara, Calif.)

Cottage Health began rolling out its specialty pharmacy program at its cystic fibrosis and pediatric clinics in May, with expansion planned across the three-hospital system. Clearway Health is supporting the integration of pharmacists and patient liaisons into specialty care teams to help patients manage prior authorizations, insurance hurdles and access to specialty and non-specialty medications. Plans also include expanding services to other clinics and opening an outpatient retail and specialty pharmacy.

Lurie Children’s Hospital (Chicago)

Lurie Children’s is opening its first outpatient specialty pharmacy in late 2026 as part of its new Outpatient and Infusion Center located in Schaumburg, Ill. In partnership with Clearway Health, the 2,050-square-foot facility will support pediatric patients with complex conditions, offering medications not typically found in retail pharmacies. Services will include integrated care coordination, patient education and treatment monitoring.

Saint Peter’s Healthcare System (New Brunswick, N.J.)

Saint Peter’s Healthcare System is partnering with Clearway Health to launch a specialty pharmacy in late 2025. The pharmacy will embed pharmacists and patient liaisons within outpatient clinics across specialties such as gastroenterology, endocrinology and infectious disease. The initiative aims to improve access to limited distribution drugs and support patients through education, monitoring and financial assistance.

UVA Health (Charlottesville, Va.)

UVA Health is investing $17 million into a 40,000-square-foot central pharmacy service center, set to open in January. The center is designed to help support the health system’s four hospitals and growing ambulatory network and will centralize fulfillment for nine retail pharmacies, specialty services and home delivery options.

Danielle Griggs, PharmD, chief pharmacy officer at UVA Health, told Becker’s the shift to centralized services will significantly increase capacity by allowing the health system to serve more patients with improved medication outcomes. The center will feature robotics, electronic health record integration and AI-driven communication tools such as text alerts and online scheduling.