By Jake Thompson, PharmD, MS, 340B ACE, Vice President-Pharmacy Services
Pharmacy procurement is increasingly complex with high drug volumes, fluctuating prices, multiple suppliers, and the pressure to maintain compliance, especially within the 340B program. Buyers need help navigating the volume and complexities!
That’s where pharmacy-specific procurement automation tools come in. Here are three powerful ways automation is changing the game:
- NDC Standardization
Turning thousands of choices into one smart decision.
Every medication group can include multiple National Drug Codes (NDCs)—often with different price points, contract eligibility, or classes of trade. Without automation, pharmacy buyers are left navigating lengthy catalogs and often default to past purchasing habits, which may not be optimal.
With automated NDC logic, buyers no longer have to choose from a list. They simply select the medication, and the software drives the purchase to the preferred NDC. Buyers can also lock in specific NDCs when needed, ensuring consistent purchasing across the health system.
SpendMend’s Impact: One health system saved $8M by eliminating unnecessary NDC variation and automating product preference decisions.
- Supplier Preference Automation
Buy from the right place—every time.
Most hospitals purchase the majority of their medications through a primary wholesaler, but a meaningful percentage—often 5 to 10%—still comes from secondary suppliers, 503Bs, or specialty distributors. Some organizations have invested heavily in central warehousing-often called central service centers (CSCs). Managing this manually leads to inconsistencies and non-compliance.
Automation allows organizations to set supplier hierarchies at the product level. If a drug becomes available through a more favorable vendor—such as a bulk deal or CSC inventory—the system updates routing instantly. There’s no need for buyer re-education, sticky notes, or manual overrides.
SpendMend’s Impact: Automation drives 100% compliance to supplier preferences, ensuring consistency and maximizing contract value.
- 340B Compliance in Centralized Distribution
Protect your 340B program while scaling your distribution.
As health systems consolidate purchasing and move toward CSCs, they face a new challenge: how to maintain 340B and GPO compliance across multiple entities and sites.
Without the right tools, tracking accumulations, shipments, and replenishments across a CSC model becomes risky and labor-intensive. Automation enables real-time integration with TPA data and tracks all drug movement by location, payer type, and eligibility. The result is a rules-based system that maintains compliance while optimizing inventory and cost savings.
SpendMend’s Impact: A 10-hospital health system achieved $1M+ in savings within 14 months by automating 340B compliance and inventory replenishment across its CSC.
The Bottom Line: Smart Procurement Starts with Automation
Whether managing NDC complexity, juggling supplier relationships, or safeguarding 340B eligibility, modern pharmacy procurement demands more than spreadsheets and portals. Solutions like Trulla—built specifically for pharmacy procurement—help health systems streamline workflows, reduce errors, and unlock long-term value across pharmacy operations. In a high-cost, high-pressure environment, the right automation makes all the difference.
To learn more about how Trulla supports pharmacy teams and enhances procurement performance, visit https://spendmend.com/solutions/pharmacy-solutions/trulla/