As a supply chain and health care solutions company, Advantus Health Partners relies on the expertise and insight of its people. In this post, we’re highlighting one of our outstanding leaders: Craig Wright, Vice President of Pharmacy Services.
From pharmacist to VP
In his role, Craig leads all efforts for pharmacy and laboratory through strategic sourcing, integrated logistics and pharmaceutical procurement, covering over $1 billion in annual expenses. A trained pharmacist, Craig holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Cincinnati as well as a Master of Business Administration from Xavier University.
Before joining Advantus, Craig built extensive experience in the realms of pharmacy services and technology. He was Director of Acute Pharmacy Operations at Mercy Health, overseeing all strategic pharmacy activities. He led savings of over $25 million through standardization and optimization efforts related to technology and pharmacy solutions. Craig was also involved in the development and implementation of an electronic health record platform across 23 acute care settings. Before that, he had roles in pharmacy management and clinical pharmacy at Mercy Health – Anderson in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Pivotal to Advantus Health Partners’ success
Founded in January 2022 as a subsidiary of Bon Secours Mercy Health, Advantus was established to challenge the dated industry norm that ‘your GPO is your supply chain solution.’ It also aimed to chart a new course for the Bon Secours Mercy Health ministry, leveraging non-traditional means to generate revenue. Advantus is tackling the many obstacles that prevent health care from evolving by providing answers to problems that move past terms and conditions and into the walls of our hospitals.
Craig represents a core component of Advantus. Among other solutions, Advantus Health Partners looks to provide Pharmacy Advisory Services as a commercial offering for other health systems. Our advisory pharmacy services offers expertise in:
- Product Standardization
- Inventory & Logistics
- Purchasing Opportunities & Surveillance
- Patient Assistance Programs
- Clinical Services & Drug Utilization
- Technology & Service Optimization
Optimizing pharmaceutical processes
Across the Bon Secours Mercy Health ministry, Pharmacy Services’ inventory management practices rely on tailored distribution services to protect critical drug supplies and generate cost savings. Craig’s team focuses on optimizing product inventory and minimizing pharmaceutical waste by leveraging robust analytics and standardized operational processes at each local site.
Their strategy is built on the mission of sourcing, procuring and delivering safe, quality products. The pandemic highlighted the resilience of their inventory design. In the past two years, they have increased inventory turns by 50% through lean inventory management, while also providing Bon Secours Mercy Health the flexibility to meet the drug sourcing challenges experienced during the pandemic.
Embracing the future of supply chain
We all know COVID-19 exposed weaknesses in the upstream supply chain. Craig and the Pharmacy Services leadership team is now also contributing to designing third-party, multi-tier supply chain visibility software. This software will provide customized insights into drug manufacturing, alerting consumers to risks well before the consequences appear. Having received funding and feedback from government agencies, Craig and his team represent the commercial interest for the third-party software developer.
“While many other industries are accustomed to this kind of visibility, nothing substantial like this software currently exists in the pharmaceutical world. This is what makes our work so crucial and exciting,” commented Craig.
A true asset
Craig demonstrates unique achievements and personal commitment to creating better outcomes for patients, caregivers and the community. Advantus is made stronger and rises to the challenge through talented, dedicated leaders like Craig on the team.
