HDMA ANNOUNCES HEALTHCARE REFORM PRINCIPLES

Arlington, VA – March 5, 2009 –In conjunction with the President’s healthcare summit, the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) announced its 2009 healthcare reform principles for consideration as Congress prepares to enact meaningful healthcare reform. HDMA is dedicated to working with the Administration, Congress and other stakeholders to help shape the future of healthcare for the benefit of patients. 

“HDMA is pleased to see healthcare reform remain a top priority for the Obama Administration,” said HDMA President and CEO John M. Gray.  “The Association believes that only through a collaborative effort, with all stakeholders engaged, will we realize our shared responsibility to bring positive, lasting change to the healthcare system.”

HDMA’s healthcare reform principles include the following:

Expand Access to Healthcare Coverage

• HDMA supports expanding access to high-quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.  Solutions considered to attain this goal should be patient-centered, with particular emphasis on addressing portability and sustainability.  The basic market principles of personal choice and free-market competition, along with appropriate regulatory oversight and support for existing public programs, are critical to helping modernize the healthcare system to meet the future challenges of providing high-quality affordable healthcare for all Americans. 

Promote Innovation and New Technologies

• HDMA supports the use of new technologies and medical innovation to increase efficiencies, improve quality and reduce cost.  Needed and appropriate investments in prevention and wellness programs, health IT, electronic health records, e-prescribing and interoperability will improve quality of care, reduce costs, decrease or eliminate medical errors and enhance information about the use of pharmaceuticals.

Invest in Improving Quality, Efficiency and Patient Safety

• Although medicines account for only a small percentage of overall healthcare costs, they continue to play an essential role in improving public health.  Patients should have access to these lifesaving treatments without having to worry about their integrity or authenticity.  Recognizing the value of a robust and secure medication delivery infrastructure that utilizes best practices to achieve efficiency, safety and quality is integral to promoting a safe, and reliable healthcare distribution system.

About HDMA
The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) is the national association representing primary, full-service healthcare distributors. Each business day, the member companies of HDMA are responsible for ensuring that more than eight million prescription medicines and healthcare products are safely delivered to 145,000 pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, clinics, government and other providers in all 50 states. This essential public health function is provided with tremendous efficiency, saving the nation’s healthcare system nearly $32 billion each year. HDMA and its members are the vital link in the healthcare system, working daily to provide value, remove costs and develop innovative solutions to deliver care safely and effectively.