Congratulations! You managed through the DSI/PSS transition! They dealt you some lemons by closing down and you’ve made lemonade! Or have you?
Let’s face it, the first priority was to find an easy way to maintain your supply chain and dispensing capability with minimal interruption. You found a supplier, transitioned your purchasing and…now what? Service problems? Back-orders? Errors? Many of you stayed loyal to your sales rep and followed him to his new company…very smart. Unfortunately, his new company is unable to keep up with demand. Remember, $80 million of drug orders – about half of the overall clinic dispensing market – were dumped onto the remaining players. They were not ready – especially the three or four who have tried to absorb most of it.
It’s ok. There are alternatives. But you’ve got to be deliberate about your process. You don’t want to jump into the same issues again. Let’s face it, you liked PSS/DSI and want something similar. Here is what we’ve heard:
- I want clean, crisp packaging.
- I want orders delivered in a timely fashion.
- I don’t want back-orders!
- I want responsive service.
- I want support for our dispensing software.
- I want quick response when I need pricing.
- I want accuracy in my orders.
Originally, it seemed to make sense to go with the biggest supplier. How is that working for you? What you really need is a supplier who is willing to align with your needs. A company that is flexible and responsive. A company with a large catalog and great prices. A company who will evolve with you and offer the medications you need, in the sizes you need when you need them. A company that will make sure your formulary is in stock, all the time so shipments are fast and accurate.
Well, we’re here. Northwind offers all of the above. Oh, one more thing: if you are on MDScripts, we can support you and it is easy to transition. Just give the word and we’ll make sure you get the service you need to allow you to focus on what is most important: your patients.
