Healthcare performance improvement and analytics company Vizient is collaborating with Civica Rx, a company that works to ensure essential generic medications are available and affordable to everyone, to help reduce the impact of drug shortages.

WHY IT MATTERS

By providing insights into purchasing patterns and provider needs through its analytics and data capabilities, Vizient will help Civica Rx anticipate gaps in drug availability and affordability.

Vizient members include academic medical centers, pediatric facilities, community hospitals, integrated healthcare delivery networks and non-acute healthcare providers.

The company notes that there are many different reasons for drug shortages, so it will take a wide variety of solutions to fully solve the problems; by working with Civica Rx, it hopes to help reduce and eventually eliminate drug shortages.

Vizient currently uses its analytics and data insights, in combination with the company’s private label Novaplus pharmacy program, to serve the needs of its own member healthcare organizations and mitigate the effects of drug shortages and lower rising drug costs.

"Vizient fully agrees with and embraces Civica’s mission to ensure that essential generic medications are available and affordable to everyone."

Dan Kistner, Vizient

As an example, the Novaplus program provides Vizient members improved access to more than 760 National Drug Codes – including most of the drugs regularly listed as being in short supply.

THE LARGER TREND

This collaboration with Civica Rx is the latest effort by Vizient to improve accessibility and lower costs of pharmaceuticals, said company officials.

Other strategies include the Vizient Drug Shortage Task Force, a collaborative effort with its member healthcare organizations, to pursue a broad range of activities to support greater stability of the supply chain, particularly for the injectable generic products that are so critical to Vizient members.

Vizient also is exploring additional strategies to expand its Novaplus program to further help members avoid the difficulties and consequences of drug shortages that challenge the provision of high-quality, cost-effective care.

ON THE RECORD

“Vizient fully agrees with and embraces Civica’s mission to ensure that essential generic medications are available and affordable to everyone,” said Dan Kistner, senior vice president, pharmacy services, at Vizient. “It really is true that ‘a rising tide lifts all boats.’“

"The more people collaborating to solve the nation’s drug shortage problem the better."

Martin VanTrieste, Civica Rx

“The more people collaborating to solve the nation’s drug shortage problem the better,” added Martin VanTrieste, Civica Rx president and CEO. “We thank Vizient for prioritizing hospital patients by taking action to help them have timely access to the treatments they desperately need on a day-to-day basis.”

Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: bill.siwicki@himssmedia.com