Mutual Drug's Harrison recognized for industry leadership

ARLINGTON, Va. — AmerisourceBergen Corp. was among the winners of the 2016 Distribution Management Award from the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA).

HDMA said Tuesday that AmerisourceBergen received recognition for centralizing its data for Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) compliance and preparing for long-term serialization requirements. The award was presented at the HDMA 2016 Distribution Management Conference and Expo in San Antonio.

From left: Perry Fri, HDMA; Heather Zenk, AmerisourceBergen; Jeff Denton, AmerisourceBergen; and John Gray, HDMA.

Starting last year, the DSCSA required supply chain stakeholders to receive and transmit transaction information, history and statement data among trading partners. To meet these requirements without burdening its trading partners, AmerisourceBergen developed a central data depository for all of its subsidiaries.

AmerisourceBergen customized a tool to create one source of transactional data for all of the its external trading partners, leveraging current advance ship notices to facilitate inbound transactions from manufacturers and synthesizing the data for dispenser/downstream customers. The solution, too, provided the flexibility for AmerisourceBergen’s businesses to continue operating their own enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, minimizing local supply-chain disruptions. The solution also allowed AmerisourceBerge to create internal cost efficiencies and engage with manufacturers on further serialization requirements.

“As a leader in global health care solutions, AmerisourceBergen is dedicated to ensuring reliable and secure product access for patients. We are thrilled to offer an industry solution that both streamlines and strengthens the health care supply chain,” Heather Zenk, vice president of global secure supply chain at AmerisourceBergen, said in a statement. “It is an honor to receive this HDMA award in recognition of our industry partnership and innovative approach to meeting DSCSA requirements.”

In addition, AmerisourceBergen collaborated extensively with each segment of the supply chain to devise the DSCSA solution, including manufacturer and distributor working groups, as well as HDMA, GS1 and other industry coalitions, HDMA noted.

“Implementing the DSCSA is an unprecedented collaborative effort that will transform the pharmaceutical supply chain for the ultimate benefit of the patient,” stated Perry Fri, HDMA’s executive vice president of industry relations, membership and education. “HDMA is pleased to recognize AmerisourceBergen’s forward-thinking, cooperative effort to meet the requirements of this landmark law.”

Hal Harrison, Mutual Wholesale Drug

HDMA’s Distribution Management Awards spotlight member companies’ efforts to improve health care supply-chain efficiency and safety via creative trading partner initiatives. The winner and finalists were selected by the distributor and manufacturer members of HDMA’s Industry Relations Council.

Also honored by HDMA was Hal Harrison, senior vice president of operations for Mutual Wholesale Drug Co., who received the HDMA 2016 Distribution Management Award for Industry Leadership. The award recognizes an individual who has exhibited high standards of honesty and integrity while working to enhance industry relations, knowledge, and supply chain efficiency and security.

In December, Harrison was named to succeed David Moody Jr. as the next Mutual Drug Co. chief executive officer. Moody is slated to stay on to help with the transition before retiring on March 31.

“Hal has not only been a longtime supporter of HDMA, but a respected industry leader who has promoted the importance of building partnerships with his supply chain colleagues,” commented John Gray, HDMA president and CEO. “We are pleased to recognize his many contributions to the health care distribution industry.”

In addition, HDMA gave honors to a partnership between Cardinal Health Inc. and Sonoco ThermoSafe, which was recognized in the Merit Finalist category. Together, the companies established a sustainable, cost-saving, bulk cold-chain pallet shipper/delivery system in 2015.