CASE STUDY
www.surecost.com
Those are some of the reasons Guardian implemented SureCost, a leading pharmacy
procurement and inventory management software.
THE SOLUTION: SURECOST’S PROCUREMENT AND
INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
n SureCost Purchase Manager™
Purchase Manager is designed to give pharmacies unified access to all primary and
secondary vendors as well as manufacturer catalogs through a centralized platform.
Users can quickly and easily compare drug prices and availability in real time on a
single screen.
The system also provides visibility into rebate structures. “As our purchasers research
cost and availability, they can also see where we stand in terms of compliance on rebate
thresholds before an order is submitted,” explains Posten. That means Guardian can
proactively shift volumes as needed to fulfill commitments. “It’s not just about finding
the cheapest drug,” says Posten. “It’s about maximizing savings by making the smartest
decision — something that would be nearly impossible for me to manage across all of
our locations.”
This automated process, on its own, can cut the time spent on research and submitting
purchases by as much as 50% for most pharmacies. Posten also says that SureCost’s
Purchase Manager supports Guardian from procurement to payment, adding even more
efficiency to daily processes. That’s because Purchase Manager enables purchasers
to research drug prices and view vendor and rebate tier requirements while generating
a single purchase order for all vendors each day. “We’ve also built modules for our
pharmacies to confirm receipt of an order and approve invoices, so our accounts payable
team can process payments with confidence,” Posten explains.
n Inventory Manager™
About half of Guardian’s pharmacies also use SureCost’s Inventory Manager, which
systematically monitors both physical and perpetual inventory, transfers, and returns in
real time. “The software gives our pharmacists the information they need to forecast more
accurately,” says Posten. “It automatically tells them what to order and when based on
dispensing data, not just purchasing history.” These capabilities reduce waste and excess
inventory while minimizing the risk of out-of-stocks. Inventory Manager also improves
operational efficiency by significantly cutting the time spent on manual cycle counts.
n Data Integration and Reporting
“The beauty of both Purchase Manager and Inventory Manager is that the data integrates
seamlessly with our data warehouse,” says Posten. “Having all our pharmacies in one
solution allows us to aggregate data across our network and make decisions based on the
best, most current information.”
Posten also appreciates the depth and efficiency of SureCost’s reporting tools. “Purchase
Manager gives us access to something like 300 different reports,” he explains. “I can
run reports and display them on dashboards across our network, so purchasers at each
“
“
SureCost’s flexibility
and customization
help me manage
pharmacies from afar
a lot more efficiently.”
Their customer service
is just phenomenal …
I know SureCost
is there for us, every
step of the way.”
William Posten
Senior Manager of Purchasing
and Analytics
~ Guardian Pharmacy Services
William Posten
Senior Manager of Purchasing
and Analytics
~ Guardian Pharmacy Services
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