Express Scripts Canada Announces Strategic Supply-Chain Relationship with SCI Logistics Ltd.

Express Scripts Canada Announces Strategic Supply-Chain Relationship with SCI Logistics Ltd.


  • SCI Will Build, Facilitate Logistics of Express Scripts Canada Pharmacies Across Canada to Enable Home Delivery Of Maintenance Prescription Medications

MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 30, 2011 /CNW/ - Express Scripts Canada, one of the largest providers of health benefits management services in Canada, today announced that it has entered into a supply-chain agreement with SCI Logistics Ltd., to provide integral services related to the development and delivery of Express Scripts Canada's recently announced pharmacy benefit management service (PBM) and home delivery pharmacies.

The expanded PBM service is the latest in a line of solutions that will enable Express Scripts Canada to better meet current and emerging needs of plan sponsors and significantly reduce the cost of providing a prescription drug benefit to employees.

"With SCI Logistics providing for the delivery of prescription medications and assisting with the construction and logistical operations of our home delivery pharmacies, we have placed another important building block in the foundation of our PBM business model," said Michael Biskey, president of Express Scripts Canada. "To provide plan sponsors - many of which have a presence in multiple provinces and territories - with our PBM service, we will work with a partner capable of delivering prescription medications in a timely manner to all parts of the country."

"SCI Logistics will manage delivery service providers, including Canada Post and Purolator Courier, to offer the capability to deliver packages to all 10 provinces and three territories, including remote areas, in a safe, reliable, timely manner. This capability, combined with historically strong track records for safety and reliability, make Canada Post and Purolator logical choices as our preferred partners for the delivery of maintenance prescription drugs."

John Ferguson, President and Chief Executive Officer of SCI Group, said that SCI Logistics has a proven track record of delivering end-to-end supply-chain solutions to help companies ensure seamless delivery of their important goods to Canadians.

"We're pleased to work with Express Scripts Canada to both build and maintain the order-management and inventory-management processes required to provide safe, secure and timely delivery of maintenance prescription medications," said Mr. Ferguson. "The SCI team's unique combination of expertise in e-commerce fulfillment, combined with its expertise and experience in health-care logistics, will help deliver success for Express Scripts Canada."

Expanded Pharmacy Benefit Management Service

Express Scripts Canada's expanded PBM service, which can be added by companies and organizations without changing insurance carriers, leverages research and proven best practices in behavioral sciences to actively engage members of health benefits plans to more effectively manage benefit costs and their health. Plan members will interact with a team of highly qualified professionals about their maintenance medication alternatives so that they can make informed choices with the support of their physician. The result will be informed decisions that offer the best possible health outcome while reducing costs for both the member and their plan sponsor.

Working in conjunction with the expanded PBM service, each Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy facilitates the dispensing and delivery of prescription drugs to treat ongoing medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. A supply of up to 90 days of these prescription medications will be delivered, via free standard shipping, to patients' homes, or to the address they designate.

Delivery of Prescription Medications through Xpresspost, Purolator Courier

To facilitate the delivery of prescription medication packages from the Express Scripts Canada pharmacies to plan members throughout Canada, SCI Logistics will leverage the vast resources in the service networks of their delivery partners, Canada Post and Purolator Courier. Combined, Canada Post, with its Xpresspost service, and Purolator, are experienced in delivering prescription medication and health-care products, and have the capability to deliver to any address in Canada as Express Scripts Canada expands its service.

Pharmacy Update

The Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy in Ontario, which is located in Mississauga, will open on December 1, 2011. The 8,500 square-foot facility, which received its operating license from the Ontario College of Pharmacists in late October, includes state-of-the-art pharmacy management technology to manage patient records and to enter, fill, dispense and track prescriptions for registered plan members, along with climate-controlled storage space for temperature-sensitive medications.

The facility also houses an adjoining Product Development & Customer Experience Centre, where plan sponsors and other interested parties can learn more about Express Scripts Canada's expanded PBM service and the Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy.

For more information about Express Scripts Canada's PBM service and the Express Scripts Canada Pharmacy, go to www.express-scripts.ca.

About SCI Group Inc.

SCI is a leading Canadian third-party logistics provider, offering value-added  warehousing, distribution, contract logistics and transportation services to a wide range of industries, including telecommunication, retail/etail, health-care, industrial and technology. SCI's innovative supply- chain solutions, national network of advanced facilities and skilled team help optimize supply chains from sourcing to final delivery. For more information about SCI, visit the company's Web site at www.scigroup.ca.

About Express Scripts Canada

Express Scripts Canada, a registered business name of both ESI Canada and Express Scripts Canada Services, each an Ontario partnership indirectly controlled by Express Scripts, Inc., is one of Canada's leading providers of health benefits management services. From its corporate headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario, just outside Toronto, Express Scripts Canada provides a full range of integrated pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services to insurers, third-party administrators, plan sponsors and the public sector, including health-claims adjudication and processing services, Home Delivery Pharmacy Services, benefit-design consultation, drug-utilization review, formulary management, and medical and drug-data analysis services, to better facilitate the best possible health outcomes at the lowest possible cost. For more information about Express Scripts Canada, visit its Web site at www.express-scripts.ca.

About Express Scripts, Inc.

Express Scripts, Inc., one of the largest pharmacy benefit management companies in North America, is leading the way toward creating better health and value for patients through Consumerology®, the advanced application of the behavioral sciences to health care. This approach is helping millions of members realize greater health-care outcomes and lowering cost by assisting in influencing their behavior.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Express Scripts, Inc. provides integrated PBM services, including network-pharmacy claims processing, home delivery services, specialty benefit management, benefit-design consultation, drug-utilization review, formulary management, and medical and drug data analysis services. The Company also distributes a full range of biopharmaceutical products and provides extensive cost-management and patient-care services. More information can be found at http://www.express-scripts.com.