SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — AmerisourceBergen Corp. has joined the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs’ Elite Partner Program.

NCPDP said Tuesday that as an Elite Partner, AmerisourceBergen will provide critical support of the valuable standards development and other work of NCPDP, including its continuing evolution as a forum for health care business, patient safety issues, education, new product development and the enhancement of products that support the council’s operations.

Limited to a maximum of 10 companies, the Elite Partner Program establishes a three-year commitment of strategic support for NCPDP.

“AmerisourceBergen has supported our multi-stakeholder forum over three decades, and this is a wonderful continuation and expansion of its commitment to NCPDP’s work,”  stated Lee Ann Stember, president of NCPDP.

“Throughout the years, AmerisourceBergen has supported our work in a number of ways, including through its Good Neighbor Pharmacy. It is a pleasure to welcome AmerisourceBergen into our Elite Partner Program,” she added.

Chuck Reed, group vice president of pharmacy and technology solutions at AmerisourceBergen, noted that pharmacists are “challenging themselves each day to expand the services that they deliver in order to best support patients.”

“This elevated role requires pharmacists to exchange patient and clinical information with other providers, which can only happen through the development of industry standards,” Reed explained. “To that end, we are thrilled to enhance our longstanding relationship with NCPDP, which goes back to day one of the organization, with our Elite Partner commitment.”