Alliance formed to help more hospitals provide indigent care

Cardinal Health and Sentry Data Systems have teamed up to help hospitals better care for uninsured and underinsured patients. Through the partnership, hospitals can utilize computer software that identifies all potential 340B drug savings opportunities. The software—Sentinel RCM-also enables hospitals to extend 340B discounts to patients through outpatient and/or retail pharmacies. "Many healthcare facilities would like to participate more fully in the 340B Drug Pricing Program, but staffing and compliance challenges make it difficult," said Scott Storrer, group president of Cardinal Health's Healthcare Supply Chain Services—Pharmaceutical business. Created to help hospitals and federally qualified healthcare facilities care for indigent patients, the 340B Drug Pricing Program can cut pharmacy costs by about 24%. But only a fraction of the more than 1,400 hospitals and 12,000 other eligible healthcare facilities fully participate in the program, according to Cardinal Health.

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