The GOAT of GPO’s

Pharmacy buyers play a critical role in keeping hospitals running—and their partnership with a GPO can make all the difference. In this episode of Verified Rx, Jackie Stokes sits down with Theresa Brown and Michelle Crump, two powerhouse pharmacy buyers and members of Vizient’s Pharmacy Technician Committee, to talk about the tools, programs, and peer networks that help them thrive in their roles. From leveraging pharmacy analytics to navigating shortages, maximizing NovaPlus value, and strengthening buyer-to-buyer collaboration, this episode is packed with insights to help pharmacy teams work smarter, save money, and support better patient care.

Guest speakers:
Theresa Brown
National Pharmacy Purchasing Specialist
Prospect Medical Holdings

Michelle Crump, ASBA, CPhT
National Certified Pharmacy Technician Buyer
Pharmacy

Host:
Jackie Stokes
Program Services Manager
Center for Pharmacy Practice Excellence (CPPE)
Vizient

Show Notes:

[00:48] — Guest Introductions

Theresa

National pharmacy purchasing specialist
Background: inventory control, home infusion startup, pharmacy technician educator

[01:14] — Michelle

Nationally certified pharmacy technician since 2016
Pharmacy buyer at a small independent county critical access hospital
Transitioned from accounting into pharmacy purchasing

[01:26] — The Role of Vizient in Supporting Pharmacy Buyers

Theresa:

Biggest benefit: relationship with pharmacy executive & sourcing team
Uses Pharmacy Analytics (formerly VSAP) to evaluate spend and inventory control across 63 facilities

[02:16] — How Pharmacy Analytics Supports Buyers

Theresa:

Data mining on spend increases/decreases
Tracks product returns
Identifies sharing opportunities to prevent waste

[02:59] — Michelle’s Experience

Analytics helps mitigate waste
Collaboration with other buyers has been essential — especially for someone new to the buyer role
Learns navigation of Vizient systems and how to work with the local GPO
Peer support helps demystify a “diverse and complex” buyer role

[04:02] — Value of the Vizient Pharmacy Technician Committee

Provides national peer networking
Helps buyers learn from subject matter experts
Even highly experienced buyers (35+ years) learn from every call

[04:41] — Vizient Programs: NovaPlus, NES, Forum Calls, Hot Info

Bimonthly Forum Calls

Provide regulatory updates
Help expand buyer knowledge in real time

Hot Info Weekly Updates

Keeps users informed on inventory, shortages, spend impacts

[05:31] — Michelle on Program Impact

Calls and shared expertise were critical when she was new
NovaPlus program especially valuable in critical access settings

[06:32] — Deep Dive: How the NovaPlus Program Works

Michelle explains:

NovaPlus (Y-label) aligns with manufacturer-labeled products (M-label)
Quarterly rebates provide significant savings
Critical access hospitals benefit via 340B optimizer software that extracts outpatient utilization to qualify for discounted M-label purchasing
Can result in “significant savings” depending on contract structure

[08:38] — What If NovaPlus Pricing Isn’t the Best Price?

Michelle:

Buyer’s responsibility to identify price discrepancies
Communicates with Vizient representative to reassess contracting needs
Often resolved through rebates or future price adjustments

[09:30] — Theresa:

Price challenges taken seriously
Many result in price reductions visible in Hot Info the next week
Demonstrates importance of strong GPO relationships

[10:07] — Understanding NES: NovaPlus Enhanced Supply

Theresa:

Her hospitals are exploring NES participation
Requires 90% compliance (higher than standard 80%)
Benefits include prioritized product access during shortages
Critical when national backorders exceed 200+ items
Ensures better patient care continuity

[11:34] — Supply Assurance & Mitigation Strategies

Michelle:

During the North Carolina hurricane, Vizient’s mitigation strategy was “imperative”
Vizient engaged Baxter directly to resolve critical fluid shortages
Small hospitals especially reliant on support in crisis situations

[12:36] — Theresa:

Shortage team provides substitution guidance and clinical appropriateness information
Vizient recommendations support discussions with local clinical teams
Crucial during COVID start date — her first day in national role

[13:23] — Continuing Education (CE) Programs

Theresa:

Vizient CE programs help maintain technician licensure
Webinars are interactive, engaging, and more informative than generic CE resources

[14:07] — Networking and Pharmacy Aggregation Groups (PAGs)

Theresa:

PAGs offer cost savings and peer collaboration
Ability to share information and bring value back to her own network

[14:44] — Michelle’s Example of System-to-System Collaboration

Shared compounded syringes (from a 503B facility) with another hospital to prevent waste
Highlights real-world benefits of PAG networking

[15:52] — Addressing National Challenges Together

Theresa:

PAG roundtables help uncover shared struggles (e.g., DSCSA serialization issues)
Members provide actionable advice on what’s working in their systems
Reinforces “we’re all in the same boat”

[16:50] — Supporting and Elevating Pharmacy Technicians

Jackie’s goal: