Lehi-based Civica, a nonprofit pharmaceutical company founded by a nationwide consortium of hospital companies in 2018 to prevent and mitigate drug shortages, has announced the addition of four new members to the organization.
The new members are Winona Health and Essentia Health in Minnesota, Boulder Community Health in Colorado and Stanford Health Care in California.
“Civica provides a consistent supply of essential, high-quality, generic medicines at a transparent price,” said Ned McCoy, president and CEO of Civica. “Our model allows hospitals of all sizes, from small independent hospitals to large systems, to ensure supply and price stability, helping them to serve their patients.”
“Our community has counted on Winona Health for more than 130 years,” said Jill Ender, director of pharmacy at Winona Health. “Partnering with Civica helps us ensure we’ll continue to have access to the pharmaceutical resources we need to care for people, regardless of external circumstances that may affect our normal supply chain.”
Under the Civica model, hospitals enter market-stabilizing contracts directly with the company, avoiding middlemen players. Doctors and pharmacists at member hospitals choose the drugs that Civica provides. Civica offers all members the same cost-plus price for these products, regardless of hospital size, and strives to provide six months of buffer inventory. Further, the company prioritizes U.S.-based suppliers, helping to ensure high-quality products.
“Essentia Health is excited to join Civica and continue to support more reliable medication supply chains worldwide,” said David Sperl, Acute Care Pharmacy director for Essentia Health. “At Essentia, we are called to make a healthy difference in people’s lives, and this is another great step in meeting that mission with our communities.”
Since its founding, Civica has grown its membership and expanded its product offerings. Today, nearly 60 health systems are Civica members, which include approximately 1,400 hospitals that represent over 30 percent of all licensed U.S. hospital beds. The company currently delivers about 80 drugs, including antibiotics, cardiovascular and pain medications.