Walgreens to invest $5.2B in VillageMD; Healthcare market shows recovery signs; Legislators consider fed office for supply chain crises; plus Jobs!

October 21, 2021

Hello NAW Subscribers,

Join us for ANAE’s National Accounts Summit on Dec. 1-2 in Dallas, Texas!

This meeting is made specifically for National and Corporate Account Executives who call on health systems across the U.S. Attendees will be able to participate in round table discussions with their peers and hear from IDNs and GPOs on contracting success, driving contract performance, and much more.

I hope you enjoy this issue of National Accounts Weekly!

Sincerely,

John Pritchard

President of ANAE

Publisher of The Journal of Healthcare Contracting

ANAE National Accounts Summit

December 1-2

Dallas, Texas

Join us for ANAE’s National Accounts Summit on Dec. 1-2 in Dallas, Texas!

Confirmed Speakers:

Amy Fultz, Director, Supply Chain, Midland Health
Brandon Beshear, Director, Supply Chain, United Regional Health Care System
Todd DeRoo, Industry Consultant
Jon Pruitt, SVP, CHC Supply Trust Community Hospital Corporation
Dee Donatelli, VP at symplr, Value Analysis Industry Expert
Sandy Wise, Region Director, Clinical Services, Premier Inc.
Erin Arnold, Clinical Consultant, AHVAP Committee Chair
Maria Hames, Partner, Healthcare Links
Jeff Little, VP, Strategic Supplier Engagement Facilities, Construction and Capital Services, Premier Inc.
Shaun Clinton, SVP, Supply Chain Management, Texas Health Resources

Walgreens to invest $5.2B in VillageMD, acquires home health benefits company

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. will pay $5.2 billion to acquire a controlling stake in primary-care network VillageMD (Chicago, IL), which operates more than 200 clinics where it has acquired or hired its own physicians and medical staff. Additionally, Walgreens said it would acquire a majority stake in CareCentrix Inc. (Hartford, CT), a home health benefits manager.

Walgreens said the investment in VillageMD will enable the pharmacy chain to open doctors’ offices at 600 or more of its drugstore locations by 2025, and a further 400 by 2027.

Healthcare market shows signs of recovery as J&J posts higher sales across divisions

Johnson & Johnson’s sales climbed in the latest quarter compared with the same stretch of last year, reflecting a return of more doctor’s visits and medical procedures after the pandemic disrupted the industry.

Ascension, CommonSpirit and Trinity see finances rebound

From Becker’s Hospital CFO Report:

The largest nonprofit health systems, Ascension, CommonSpirit Health and Trinity Health, saw their financial performance begin to bounce back in fiscal year 2021 after the COVID-19 pandemic hurt performance a year earlier.

Legislators to consider establishing federal office to manage supply chain crises

With supply chain issues expected to stretch well into next year and beyond, lawmakers are looking to centralize Washington’s response and encourage more companies to bring manufacturing processes closer to home to better protect the U.S. from future catastrophic disruptions.

A bipartisan group of legislators introduced the Supply CHAIN Act earlier this month to create an Office of Supply Chain Resiliency and Crisis Response within the U.S. Department of Commerce to monitor the supply chains of critical goods and respond to disruptions.

White House will make COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11 available at schools, pediatric offices once authorized

The Biden administration says it plans to make Covid-19 vaccines available to children ages 5-11 at more than 25,000 pediatric offices and primary care sites and at pharmacies and schools, if the vaccine is approved by federal regulators.

Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE submitted data to the FDA this month seeking emergency authorization of the vaccine. The White House said it has procured enough doses to inoculate the nation’s children and will begin shipping them across the country if and when the vaccine is cleared for use.

From ANAE:

5 Things with Tom Lubotsky of Allina Health

Tom Lubotsky, vice president of supply chain for Allina Health, joined the Association of National Account Executives (ANAE) for its Learning from Leaders webinar series. He shared the current priorities of Allina Health and its supply chain.

Régine Honoré Villain named to 2021 class of New Orleans CityBusiness Women of the Year

Women of the Year recognizes 50 women from the New Orleans area whose successes in business and contributions to the community have made them movers and shakers in the region. CityBusiness also recognizes nonprofit organizations that have gone above and beyond in serving the needs of local women and/or children.

Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano receives accreditation for adult echocardiography program

Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano has achieved accreditation for the adult echocardiography program at the Cardiovascular Institute from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

The dedicated, 114-bed heart hospital specializes in advanced cardiothoracic surgical techniques and transcatheter cardiovascular therapies, including minimally invasive robotic surgery and transcatheter valvular implantation.

Medical groups say Medicare payments won’t cover the cost of delivering care

A recent Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) Stat poll revealed that nearly three-quarters (73%) of medical practices report that 2021 Medicare payments will not cover the cost of delivering care to beneficiaries.

That figure represents an alarming trend, wrote Claire Ernst, JD, for a MGMA blog. A similar MGMA Stat poll in 2019 found more than two out of three (67%) medical practices reported Medicare payments did not cover the cost of delivering care.

Flu activity up 23% compared to last season

Walgreens reported that, to date, overall flu activity is 23% higher nationwide when compared to the 2020-2021 flu season.

Is healthcare prepared for a potential twindemic this year?

The beginning of the traditional flu season is upon us, and experts are urging Americans to get their flu shots to prevent further potential strain on hospitals in the coming months.

“None of us can predict whether it will be mild, moderate or severe flu season, but we are certain that there will be flu activity. We certainly don’t want a twindemic, both COVID and influenza,” said William Schaffer, medical director of the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases. (The Washington Post)

From Share Moving Media:

5 Topics Every Healthcare Sales Training Program Should Include

Healthcare sales is far more complex than most other fields of sales. Due to the additional obstacles involved, it also requires additional training.

Unfortunately, 26% of healthcare sales representatives say their training has been insufficient.

James Wetrich releases new book, “Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong”

Leaders Press announced the release of Stifled: Where Good Leaders Go Wrong, a new non-fiction book by James G. “Big Red” Wetrich.

The book explores techniques applied by successful leaders and managers in detail, offering ideas and solutions to all of the challenges facing today’s organizations. Special interest topics range from the refined management of broad-gapped generations to tackling a cultural shift that caters to DEI initiatives to managing the new global workplace borne out of the COVID-19 pandemic.