CIO Bulletin

Cardinal Health connects patients, providers, payers, pharmacists and manufacturers for integrated care coordination and better patient management

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. is a distributor of pharmaceuticals, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory products, and a provider of performance and data solutions for healthcare facilities.

Cardinal Health is a crucial link between the clinical and operational sides of care, working with more than 4,500 sourcing and manufacturing partners to deliver end-to-end solutions and data-driven insights that advance healthcare and improve lives every day. With deep partnerships, diverse perspectives and innovative digital solutions, the firm builds connections across the continuum of care.

With 50 years of experience, approximately 48,000 employees and operations in more than 40 countries, Cardinal Health seizes the opportunity to address healthcare’s most complicated challenges — now, and in the future.

For those tasked with navigating the complexities of healthcare, Cardinal Health brings scaled solutions that help its customers thrive in a changing world.

Cardinal Health aspire to be healthcare’s most trusted partner by building upon its scale and heritage in distribution, products, and solutions, while driving growth in evolving areas of healthcare through customer insights, data and analytics, and focusing on resources that matter the most.

Cardinal Health innovation process

Cardinal Health strong product orientation and working model enable innovation on commercial technologies by:

Focusing externally on customers and users first,
Integrating multi-disciplinary teams to bring business strategy to life, and
“InFusing” collaborative and agile ways of working into the Cardinal Health culture

Cardinal Health preparedness for the global pandemic

As a global manufacturer and distributor of medical and laboratory supplies, and distributor of pharmaceutical products, Cardinal Health is an essential link in the healthcare supply chain. The firm’s mission is now more important than ever as the team work to quickly get critical medicines and supplies into the hands of its healthcare provider customers who need them.

Cardinal Health is working across its entire network in a variety of ways – increasing its manufacturing of needed products, leveraging its global footprint and relationships with partner suppliers to get products to its healthcare provider customers as quickly as possible, aggressively evaluating additional suppliers to diversify product options, and collaborating creatively with public and private sector partners.

The firm knows healthcare providers are looking for partners that can provide visibility and reliability of supply of products so they can effectively plan their clinical approach, as well as determine what supply or purchasing adjustments may need to be made to achieve sustainable patient and staff support.

Collaborating with industry partners and the U.S. federal government

Cardinal Health is actively working with suppliers to understand and manage the impact of the pandemic on product supply. The firm is partnering closely with trade groups including Health Industry Distributors Association, Healthcare Distribution Alliance, National Community Pharmacists Association, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Healthcare Ready, and AdvaMed to respond to industry wide challenges. And the firm is engaging with customers, leading experts, and government officials to help deliver products where they are urgently needed.

Cardinal Health’s government collaboration includes working with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support federal and state response efforts.

Keeping employees safe

Protecting the health and safety of employees and their families is vital. Because they are part of a critical infrastructure industry, the company’s employees continue to report to work daily in distribution centers, supply chain operations, manufacturing sites, pharmacies and other clinical sites. Their efforts are essential to the healthcare system and are deeply appreciated.

To prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the safety of these critical frontline employees, all facilities are thoroughly cleaned regularly, and it has implemented worksite hygiene practices in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and World Health Organization guidelines. To recognize the important contributions made by these frontline employees who are truly living out Cardinal Health’s mission, it is providing a special incentive to those required to report to a facility to work.

All employees who are able to work remotely are working from home. Cardinal Health significantly expanded its technology infrastructure to help its employees around the globe to perform their duties and continue to support customers, patients and its front-line associates.

All non-essential travel has been prohibited since March 2, 2020, and access to its facilities by visitors and third-party vendors has been severely restricted. Cardinal Health also put policies in place to ensure that employees who are sick with or who have been exposed to COVID-19 can take time off, which does not impact their paid-time-off days for the year.

Meet the pillar of Cardinal Health

Brian Rice is executive vice president, chief information officer and Customer Support Services at Cardinal Health, leading the global enterprise-wide information technology strategy and the Customer Support Services teams.

In his role, Rice manages the Enterprise IT teams to deliver innovative, reliable and secure technology capabilities that enable Cardinal Health customers to thrive in a dynamic healthcare environment. He is also responsible for the Customer Support Services team that serves healthcare customers so they can focus on their patients.

He was also the founding executive sponsor of “Kapable”, an employee resource group oriented around people with disabilities and their supporters. Rice earned his bachelor’s degree in Computer Information from Ferris State University.