My hospital is in the process of merging with 2 other facilities. I have been tasked with coming up with a Pharmacy Purchasing Model for the newly formed Health-System. He also would like me to define any potential savings this new model may realize.
Is anyone willing to share with me their current model for their own Health-system?
When it comes to savings, it's a complex question that depends on factors such as: Unified formulary, what kind of GPO (allows you to sign your individual contracts or not), one wholesaler etc. Hospitals joining forces means, higher purchase volumes which gives you the power of negotiating better contracts. First task will probably be to evaluate all the contracts already in place and move towards a single channel. A centralized department of purchasing will be necessary to have every facility move towards the same direction.
All three facilities presently use the same GPO, buying group, wholesaler, vendor for our 340B AutoSplit software, etc. We are working diligently to streamline our formulary. Our physicians service the other two facilities already, so we have always tried to keep similar forularies, so as to not confuse physicians.
My proposal includes a centralized buyer (System Pharmacy Purchasing Coordinator) to oversee all purchasing at the three facilities. I believe this is the area Administration wants to see a cost savings. Presently we have a buyer at two of the three. The third is a small rural facility that doesn't have the acuity to support a buyer, so the DOP does all purchasing for the Pharamcy.
