What We’re Watching: February 4, 2020

CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS

Premier has been actively working with government organizations, members, suppliers and other stakeholders to ensure a proactive and appropriate response to the coronavirus, which is now considered a public health emergency.

What we’re saying: We are assessing the risk to our healthcare supply chain in real time and cautioning against protective hoarding of supplies. We’ve created a comprehensive information and resource website with best practices and recommendations for providers. And our clinical surveillance tool – TheraDoc – is ready to deploy real-time alerts and set population flags to identify and track patients with suspected or confirmed illness.

BETTER TOGETHER

Last week we announced that CommonSpirit Health is partnering with Premier to clinically integrate its supply chain. CommonSpirit Health was formed in February 2019 through the alignment of Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health.

What we’re saying: CommonSpirit Health will be converting to Premier’s group purchasing organization (GPO) and will leverage Premier technology and a focused team of experts. By integrating CommonSpirit Health’s supply, pharmacy and purchased services spend with clinical utilization trends and outcomes, Premier will pinpoint operational and clinical alignment improvement opportunities with the largest return on investment while maintaining optimal patient outcomes.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

1. Improving Value in Employer-Sponsored Healthcare
2. Coronavirus Scare Highlights Challenges in U.S.-China Supply Chain
3. Premier Wants to Change the Healthcare ‘Landscape’ with Tools to Safely Reduce Costs
4. Premier President: GPO Remains Vigilant, but No Current Supply Disruptions Due to Coronavirus
5. Statement on FDA’s Commitment to Prioritizing Drug Approvals and Use of Data
6. Will the Promise of Precision Medicine Bring Impactful Change?
7. Eliminating Care Variation
8. ProvideGx: Faster access. Better care.
9. CommonSpirit Health Chooses Premier Inc. to Clinically Integrate its Newly Merged Supply Chain
10. CommonSpirit Tasks Premier with Supply Chain Integration
11. Moving From ‘Heads in Beds’ to Population Health: An Interview with Premier CEO Susan DeVore
12. Leave No Stone Unturned for Long-Term Supply Chain Efficiency
13. Here's why drug shortages cost the U.S. 450 million a year
14. Outcome-based contracts likely to keep growing, evolving despite challenges
15. Are Your Clinicians Pre-PAMAed?

What We’re Watching is a bi-weekly blog focused on the current events Premier is following and their relevance to the work of Premier and its members. Check out our last update!