Premier, Inc., a leading technology-driven healthcare improvement company, announced today it has joined the Healthcare Industry Reliance Collaborative (HIRC), a nonprofit healthcare supply chain association that champions standards and best practices in supply chain resiliency.
The provider-led, supplier-supported organization brings together key stakeholders across healthcare to align on solutions to supply disruptions that impact patient care.
Premier will lend HIRC insight from its unique experience as the only healthcare company to virtually integrate the supply chain, co-invest with its members in domestic manufacturing, and provide tech-enabled visibility into the procure-to-pay process for supplies. The HIRC membership builds on Premier’s work to protect healthcare providers and patients from shortages using a unique combination of clinical, operational and financial data, as well as supply chain expertise and a commitment to transparent collaboration across healthcare.
“Participation in the HIRC is yet another step forward in Premier’s steadfast action on supply chain sustainability and building healthier markets,” said David A. Hargraves, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain for Premier. “Premier partners with some of the most forward-thinking, innovative health systems in the nation, and when we all come together under a common banner, we believe we can help eliminate vulnerabilities, mitigate disruptions and build a healthier supply chain now and for the future. We look forward to driving this vital work forward with HIRC.”
HIRC’s focus areas include standardizing resiliency key performance indicators; creating a framework to measure attributes through score-carding; and increasing supply chain visibility for greater continuity of critical supplies. The organization also focuses on risk assessment and increased transparency through data sharing.
“HIRC members share a common cause in supporting supply chain continuity to ensure the delivery of excellent patient care,” said Jesse Schafer, executive director for HIRC. “A transparent and antifragile supply chain is achieved through the cooperative efforts of providers, suppliers and industry partners. Premier is helping to drive resiliency by joining our exchange of ideas and best practice.”
Through differentiated domestic manufacturing investments with the nation’s leading health system members, direct sourcing capabilities, an industry-leading drug shortage program, and the PINC AI technology suite, Premier’s comprehensive strategy and tools are helping to stabilize the supply chain, provide an early warning of potential shortages, and bridge the public and private sectors.
As the only GPO member of the Administration’s Healthcare and Public Health (HPH) Sector Joint Supply Chain Resilience Working Group and other forums, Premier also continues to work closely with federal and state agencies on strategies to gather data, forecast demand and increase available supplies for providers.
