FLINT, Mich. — Paul Urick has been promoted to senior vice president of industry relations for pharmaceutical account management and payer strategies at Diplomat Pharmacy Inc.

Paul Urick

In his expanded role, Urick will now drive efforts in payer strategies through the development of specialty initiatives to reduce costs through patient-centered care, while also continuing to lead industry relations and pharmaceutical account management, said Diplomat, the nation’s largest independent specialty pharmacy.

Previously, Urick served as president of managed markets and industry relations for Burman’s Specialty Pharmacy in Media, Pa, which Diplomat acquired last June.

“We are extremely excited to announce the extension of Paul’s role,” Diplomat president Gary Kadlec said in a statement. “Paul brings over 20 years of pharmacy business expertise to Diplomat. In this role, Paul is committed to our pharmaceutical manufacturer and payer partners in meeting their critical needs with cost-saving strategies, adherence-improving technologies and reporting tools that streamline communication.”

Before joining Burman’s, Urick was senior vice president of pharmacy at Cigna Corp. Before that he served as senior vice president of pharmacy services at Independence Blue Cross, where he was president of FutureScripts and FutureScripts Secure LLC, two pharmacy benefit management companies he created there. Urick, too spent 10 years at Geisinger Health System, where he designed and implemented a strategy to transform and in-source drug business to form internal PBM operations for Geisinger Health Plan, according to Diplomat.

In addition, Urick is an active member of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, the National Association of Specialty Pharmacy and other national associations.