Celebrating Pharmaceutical Distribution in the US | A New HDA Initiative

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Pharmaceutical distribution networks in the US are some of the most complex supply chains in the world, and the United States alone holds over 45 percent of the global pharmaceutical market. As with any wholesale distribution company, pharmaceutical distributors are tasked with managing inventory and supplying product to customers in the most efficient way possible – but with the added complexity of strict inventory tracking requirements, a high risk of security breaches and unlawful activity, the management of harmful and perishable items and important reporting requirements from regulatory bodies. However, this has not stopped the market from continuing to grow over the past couple of years, and instead has challenged pharmaceutical distributors with finding the right resources and tools to adequately manage operations. According to the HDA Research Foundation, pharmaceutical distributors in the US handle a total of 5,024 orders per day – that’s almost 2 million orders a year. With numbers like these, it’s no surprise that the HDA has recently launched a new initiative to further highlight the vital role of distributors to the healthcare system.

The HDA’s initiative focuses on four key elements of pharmaceutical distribution: safety, reliability, efficiency and pharmacy.

1. Safety: Pharmaceutical distributors are committed to maintaining a safe and secure pharmaceutical supply chain for all medical and pharmaceutical products.
2. Reliability:  It is imperative that customers – pharmacies, healthcare facilities, hospitals etc. – can rely on distributors to deliver the right product at the right time.
3. Efficiency: By implementing the right systems, logistical solutions and technology, and by taking advantage of supply chain experts, distributors are helping to save the healthcare system billions of dollars every year.
4. Pharmacy: Stable distribution networks allow pharmacies to focus more effort on patient management.

The Healthcare Distribution Alliance (or HDA) is the national organization recognizing primary pharmaceutical distributors, helping to link all members of the supply chain. The HDA has developed a website dedicated specifically to providing information and support to this initiative and other members of the pharmaceutical supply chain.

www.HealthDelivered.org

Blue Link ERP is doing its part to support the pharmaceutical distribution supply chain by providing all-in-one inventory and accounting ERP software with specific functionality for pharmaceutical distribution and managing controlled substances. State-of-the-art healthcare distribution facilities together with robust business management software help to automate processes and streamline operations – all while adhering to stringent DSCSA and other requirements. Blue Link works with a variety of customers across the US and includes functionality for:

• Lot tracking (traceability)
• Revision control
• CSOS
• Identification of Product – NDC#, GTIN, Family, Brand etc.
• Suspicious Order Monitoring (SOM)
• Transaction History Management
• Saleable Returns – Verification Router Service
• and more!

In keeping up with industry requirements, Blue Link recently announced a signed agreement with LSPediA to become an authorized partner to market and resell LSPediA’s drug tracking and verification software. This announcement provides more functionality for the safe and reliable management of saleable returns.