Walmart announced that it will open 10 Specialty Pharmacies of the Community (SPOC) specializing in autoimmune diseases in Pennsylvania, including two in the Lehigh Valley.

SPOC’s Lehigh Valley locations are 3926 Linden St. in Bethlehem and 3722 Nazareth Rd. in Easton.

According to a press release, SPOCs support patients in several areas of care, including industry-leading clinical programs, pharmacy services provided by pharmacists specializing in autoimmune diseases, enhanced care coordination, healthy lifestyle recommendations and emotional support services. Located inside the Walmart pharmacy, the SPOC makes it easier, more convenient and more discreet for patients to meet their healthcare needs, according to a press release.

“These new locations will make this specialized care even more accessible,” Kevin Host, senior vice president of pharmacy at Walmart, said in a statement. “Since we launched this pilot less than a year ago, our teams have recognized the need and how they can impact the communities we serve in meaningful ways. I look forward to the incredible connections our pharmacists will build with our patients.”

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, up to 50 million people in the United States suffer from an autoimmune disease, making it the third most common disease category, behind only cancer and heart disease. Walmart’s SPOCs focus on providing accessible care and resources to people with autoimmune diseases in the three most common categories – joint, gastrointestinal and skin.

“Our pharmacists work with the patient’s prescribing physicians to develop a treatment plan that is best for them,” said Aleata Postell, senior director of specialty pharmacy business development at Walmart. “Our pharmacists are an essential part of a patient’s care team – and that’s exactly what our pharmacy teams are trained to do.”