Pharmacy management in health systems has become more complicated. In addition to complex pharmacy setups, drugs are more sophisticated, harder to access and successfully obtain reimbursement, while their costs continue to climb. Furthermore, drug shortages are accelerating alongside access issues.
CHC Supply Trust stands with each community hospital and provides access, tools and expertise to help manage and sustain in this ever-evolving, complex environment to protect the vital health services provided.
Pharmaceutical spend is one of the most complex and rapidly escalating cost centers in hospital operations. Unlike medical and surgical supplies, drug procurement carries unique pressures: tight regulatory requirements, frequent shortage events, thin margins on generic medications, and heavy reliance on overseas manufacturing.
Community hospitals often lack the dedicated pharmacy staff and data infrastructure to navigate these pressures effectively. CHC Supply Trust bridges that gap.
Drug shortages are among the most urgent and persistent supply chain challenges facing community hospitals today.
How Does Your Hospital Measure Up?
Do you have clinically approved substitutes identified in advance for your highest-risk medications — or are you scrambling when a shortage hits?
Do you know which of your medications are single-source products with overseas manufacturing? Do you have a contingency plan?
Are your pharmacy purchasing contracts being reviewed regularly for compliance and accuracy?
How CHC Supply Trust Supports Pharmaceutical Procurement
- Cost Savings Through Contracted Pharmaceutical Pricing. Through our partnership with HealthTrust Performance Group, CHC Supply Trust members gain access to competitively negotiated pharmaceutical contracts covering branded, generic, and specialty drugs. The better tier pricing that large health systems use is available to community hospitals through CHC.
- Drug Shortage Monitoring and Response. CHC Supply Trust and HealthTrust monitor drug shortage alerts on behalf of member hospitals. When a shortage is identified, we can work with your pharmacy and clinical teams to evaluate alternatives and assist the hospital team in navigating the gap to protect patient care.
- Clinical Support for Future Planning. We can work with your pharmacy and hospital leadership on P&T formulary review opportunities to improve patient care costs with both financial and clinical reference information.
- Pharmacy Business Review. We work with CHC Supply Trust account management and hospital leadership to provide quarterly business reviews which include contract compliance and cost-savings opportunities. We also provide insight and guidance on industry trends or requirements from a clinical or regulatory perspective to assist in future planning and compliance.
- Pharmaceutical Spend Analytics. Our pharmacy team provides visibility into drug purchasing patterns, contract compliance, and other analytical “lens” to help the hospital pharmacy team stay in touch with where they stand and what areas would benefit from review and alternative purchasing.
- 340B Program Support. Community hospitals with 340B Drug Pricing Program eligibility face additional complexity in pharmaceutical procurement and compliance. CHC Supply Trust’s team works alongside the hospital wholesaler relationship, buyers and 340B administrators to ensure purchasing is connected. We can assist with problem solving.
Benefits
- Cost Savings. Pricing on branded, generic, and specialty pharmaceuticals through HealthTrust.
- Shortage Resilience. Monitoring of shortage events and identification of alternatives before patient care is affected.
- Spend Visibility. Spend analytics and contract compliance monitoring for pharmaceutical purchasing.
- Contract Accuracy. Review of pharmaceutical contracts to catch pricing and terms errors.
- 340B Support. Support for hospitals navigating 340B program requirements alongside GPO purchasing.
- Expert Support. CHC Supply Trust pharmacy experts available for strategic guidance on pharmaceutical supply chain risk — the same expertise used in CHC’s own hospitals.