Shields’ Purchase of Excelera Will Help With Payer Contracts
As more health systems are creating their own specialty pharmacies, two major players in the space are coming together. In mid-January, Shields Health Solutions unveiled a deal to purchase ExceleraRx Corp. for an undisclosed amount. The new company could provide these entities with more leverage when it comes to payer networks and manufacturer distribution.
Shields is a specialty pharmacy integrator that partners with health systems to help them create and grow a hospital-owned specialty pharmacy program. Excelera is a network of specialty pharmacies among its members, which are integrated delivery networks and academic medical centers. Created by Minneapolis-based Fairview Health Services almost a decade ago (RSP 5/14, p. 1), the group now consists of almost 30 members.
