Supply Chain & Pharmacy
Technology & Data
Care Delivery & Operations
For more than two decades, Premier has been a trusted connection point for healthcare providers, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and the government.
Throughout the pandemic, we’ve set aside competitive boundaries and leveraged our relationships at every level of the supply chain to enable access to supplies, intelligence and technology.
Our efforts are helping to:
- stabilize the supply chain
- provide an early warning of COVID-19 hotspots
- bridge the public and private sectors
- shape the public's understanding, and
- promote industrywide problem-solving
Here’s a peek into what we’ve been able to accomplish.
Supply Chain & Pharmacy
Technology & Data
Care Delivery & Operations
For more than two decades, Premier has been a trusted connection point for healthcare providers, suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and the government.
Throughout the pandemic, we’ve set aside competitive boundaries and leveraged our relationships at every level of the supply chain to enable access to supplies, intelligence and technology.
Our efforts are helping to:
- stabilize the supply chain
- provide an early warning of COVID-19 hotspots
- bridge the public and private sectors
- shape the public's understanding, and
- promote industrywide problem-solving
Here’s a peek into what we’ve been able to accomplish.
SUPPLY CHAIN & PHARMACY
Getting Supplies and Intelligence to Market, Faster
Select a strategy to learn a tactic.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Investments in Domestic Production of PPE
Alongside its members, Premier acquired a minority stake in Prestige Ameritech, the nation’s largest domestic producer of face masks.As of December 2020, the company is making five million masks per month and 52 million other PPE products annually. We also created a joint venture with DeRoyal Industries Inc. to expand domestic production of isolation gowns, and we expect this partnership to produce 18 million U.S.-manufactured gowns annually.
The moves represent the first step in a long-term strategy for Premier to invest in or partner with suppliers that source from multiple regions as well as domestic markets. We want to ensure that a greater proportion of healthcare products are insulated from shortages and available in times of need.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
An Online Portal to Swap Supplies
Premier helped launch The Exchange at Resilinc, which enables providers to dynamically exchange needed product. More than 1,000 hospitals have already joined to swap 5 million products including masks and gowns.
Founding partners alongside Premier were Resilinc and Stanford University
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Direct Sourcing
A first of its kind in the industry, Premier’s direct sourcing company, has been increasing the production of masks, gloves and other PPE from multiple countries and regions to mitigate the ongoing risks of product shortages as a result of COVID-19.
Our direct sourcing capabilities delivered more than 36 million masks and respirators and 16 million gowns from March to May 2020.
Our forward buys have gone on to secure sourcing for 130 million masks and 50 million gowns during 2020 alone. We aren’t done yet.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Dynamic Allocation and Generic Drug Sourcing
Premier pulled pharmaceuticals out of allocation and moved them to our own distribution channel – allowing us to dynamically allocate products to members based on clinical need, rather than by purchase history, as other distributors traditionally do.
We put multiple drugs critical to COVID-19 into our ProvideGx generic drug sourcing program, ensuring they would not slip into shortage. Our efforts avoided widespread drug shortages for members, despite demand spikes of more than 150%.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Early Preparedness and the Latest Insights
Premier activated its Disaster Response Team on Jan. 23, 2020, three weeks before the first COVID-19 patient was identified in the U.S. Early activation gave Premier and our members an edge in anticipating the explosion of global demand for PPE. Our Disaster Preparedness and Response Community continues to keep members updated on the latest and enables sharing of best practices. Our public-facing Premier Safety Institute is s trustworthy source for latest clinical data and resources.
Our experts in the early hotspot of New York offered 10 lessons learned and early insights as the pandemic spread across the U.S.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Expedite Access to Products in Shortage
We developed an accelerated process to bring new suppliers to contract in 14 days or fewer for categories with product allocation or shortages. Through it, we have signed more than 100 new contracts with manufacturers so far and evaluated supplies from more than 2,500 brokers. We also used the expedited sourcing process to vet gray market suppliers, determining fewer than 10% were legitimate and alerting authorities to hundreds of fraudulent sellers.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Member Savings Coupled With Supplier Commitments
Premier launched a formal program that grants providers discounts, rebates and favorable payment terms so they can continue to buy what they need from our contracted suppliers - and ensure financial stability.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Private Sector Supply Chain Coalition
Premier launched a coalition uniting executives from nearly 20 healthcare suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and group purchasing organizations.
The coalition got vital products to healthcare providers and patients by:
- Providing intelligence on shortage products provider demand,
- Recommending regulatory changes, and
- Organizing programs such as the ventilator exchange, among other efforts.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
An Investment in the Largest Domestic Producer of Face Masks
Alongside its members, Premier acquired a minority stake in Prestige Ameritech, the nation’s largest domestic producer of face masks.As of December 2020, the company is making five million masks per month and 52 million other PPE products annually. We also created a joint venture with DeRoyal Industries Inc. to expand domestic production of isolation gowns, and we expect this partnership to produce 18 million U.S.-manufactured gowns annually.
The moves represent the first step in a long-term strategy for Premier to invest in or partner with suppliers that source from multiple regions as well as domestic markets. We want to ensure that a greater proportion of healthcare products are insulated from shortages and available in times of need.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
An Online Portal to Swap Supplies
Premier helped launch The Exchange at Resilinc, which enables providers to dynamically exchange needed product. More than 1,000 hospitals have already joined to swap 5 million products including masks and gowns.
Founding partners alongside Premier were Resilinc and Stanford University.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Direct Sourcing
A first of its kind in the industry, Premier’s direct sourcing company, has been increasing the production of masks, gloves and other PPE from multiple countries and regions to mitigate the ongoing risks of product shortages as a result of COVID-19.
Our direct sourcing capabilities delivered more than 36 million masks and respirators and 16 million gowns from March to May 2020.
Our forward buys have gone on to secure sourcing for 130 million masks and 50 million gowns during 2020 alone. We aren’t done yet.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Dynamic Allocation and Generic Drug Sourcing
Premier pulled pharmaceuticals out of allocation and moved them to our own distribution channel – allowing us to dynamically allocate products to members based on clinical need, rather than by purchase history, as other distributors traditionally do.
We put multiple drugs critical to COVID-19 into our ProvideGx generic drug sourcing program, ensuring they would not slip into shortage. Our efforts avoided widespread drug shortages for members, despite demand spikes of more than 150%.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Early Preparedness and the Latest Insights
Premier activated its Disaster Response Team on Jan. 23, 2020, three weeks before the first COVID-19 patient was identified in the U.S. Early activation gave Premier and our members an edge in anticipating the explosion of global demand for PPE. Our Disaster Preparedness and Response Community continues to keep members updated on the latest and enables sharing of best practices. Our public-facing Premier Safety Institute is s trustworthy source for latest clinical data and resources.
Our experts in the early hotspot of New York offered 10 lessons learned and early insights as the pandemic spread across the U.S.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Expedite Access to Products in Shortage
We developed an accelerated process to bring new suppliers to contract in 14 days or fewer for categories with product allocation or shortages. Through it, we have signed more than 100 new contracts with manufacturers so far and evaluated supplies from more than 2,500 brokers. We also used the expedited sourcing process to vet gray market suppliers, determining fewer than 10% were legitimate and alerting authorities to hundreds of fraudulent sellers.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Member Savings Coupled With Supplier Commitments
Premier launched a formal program that grants providers discounts, rebates and favorable payment terms so they can continue to buy what they need from our contracted suppliers - and ensure financial stability.
Ensure At Least One Domestic Manufacturer of Key Supplies
Access Inventory Already in the Channel
Fast-Track Global Sourcing to Bring Critical Products to Members
Embed Resiliency into the Drug Supply Chain
Keep Members Apprised of the Latest Developments and Reliable Information
Safely Accelerate New Entrants' Access to the Market
Engage Suppliers to Support Members in the Return to Health
Promote Cross-Industry and Cross-Competitor Collaboration
Private Sector Supply Chain Coalition
Premier launched a coalition uniting executives from nearly 20 healthcare suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and group purchasing organizations.
The coalition got vital products to healthcare providers and patients by:
- Providing intelligence on shortage products provider demand,
- Recommending regulatory changes, and
- Organizing programs such as the ventilator exchange, among other efforts.
Contact us to learn more about Premier's COVID-19 response.
“Premier has been a strategic partner in our effort to deliver high-value care while achieving our long-term financial goals. We have built a healthcare system that puts the patient front-and-center with regard to every decision we make and every strategic initiative we deploy.”
Leaders who act now can be winners.
The key is to have a comprehensive margin improvement strategy that is focused on reducing variation and costs, while also uncovering new revenue lines to offset diminishing reimbursement. Premier’s five keys to maximizing value are essential to achieve systemic and strategic transformations; alleviate margin pressures; improve efficiency and productivity; and maintain high-quality care.
“Premier has been a strategic partner in our effort to deliver high-value care while achieving our long-term financial goals. We have built a healthcare system that puts the patient front-and-center with regard to every decision we make and every strategic initiative we deploy.”