McKesson Canada is a unique health care supply chain service provider. For manufacturers of all products, McKesson Canada offers a suite of services designed to meet their pharmacy supply chain needs:

• Wholesale Distribution
• Additional Manufacturer Programs and Services
  Market-specific Programs
  Preferred Carrier Program
  Promotions Services
  Catalogues and Advertising
  Cold Chain Management
  Recall Services
  Supply Chain Connectivity
  InfoAccess®
  
• Specialty Pharmaceutical Solutions
• McKesson Phase 4 Solutions
• Third Party Logistics (3PL)
  McKesson Logistics Solutions
  CPDN
  

With 16 distribution centres, McKesson Canada offers same-day/next-day delivery of over 35,000 SKUs (stock-keeping units) of pharmaceutical, over-the-counter, and consumer products to virtually every community and hospital pharmacy in Canada.

For manufacturers, the major benefits of the McKesson Canada wholesale distribution channel are:

• Reduced distribution costs. The national supply chain system includes safe, secure and reliable distribution centres and a delivery network with access to all pharmacies.
• Improved supply chain efficiency. Larger, less frequent purchase orders are distributed more efficiently to fewer locations.
• Same-day/next-day delivery to virtually every pharmacy in Canada through the McKesson Canada network.
• Improved service levels. Product-specific dedicated purchasing teams manage inventory on a real-time, daily basis; and inventory is closer to customers.
• Reduced inventory carrying costs. Retail and hospital demand fluctuation risk is assumed by the wholesaler.
• Web-enabled product recall and return services with all pharmacies.
• Timely access to product-movement data.

All McKesson Canada distribution centres (DCs) involved in the handling of pharmaceutical products have an Establishment Licence issued annually by Health Canada. Each DC follows common strict, stringent procedures based on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

A total of 85 professionals - members of the McKesson Canada national Purchasing team - manage all manufacturer relations and purchasing activities from the Saint-Laurent, Que., Service Centre. The Purchasing department is grouped into dedicated product category and manufacturer-specific teams. These teams are responsible for all transactions, ranging from data management, pricing, and purchasing to product-flow management.

McKesson Canada provides manufacturers with flexible programs that enable full alignment with their specific strategic and/or marketing needs.

These McKesson Canada programs allow manufacturers to translate their product and/or marketing strategies into action. McKesson Canada can tailor each program to meet manufacturers' specific needs, even targeting specific customers or customer groups.

One example of these programs is the McKesson Canada Hospital Fee-For-Service (FFS) program. This program currently has over 40 participating manufacturers.

The McKesson Canada Preferred Carrier Program is designed to provide supply chain efficiencies to both manufacturers and McKesson Canada. McKesson Canada uses its Preferred Carrier to manage and consolidate inbound shipments from multiple manufacturers.

For manufacturers, the program offers:

• Service-level improvements. Inbound-outbound demand alignment is stronger.
• Standing appointments for the Preferred Carrier in all distribution centres.
• A single point of contact for all McKesson Canada shipments;
• Easier shipment tracking.
• Improved distribution centre workload planning.

McKesson Canada acts as the extension of its retail customers. Customers count on McKesson Canada for all the supply chain services they need to execute their product promotion campaigns and meet and exceed their targets.

McKesson Canada promotion coordinators are assigned to unique retailer and product categories. Every coordinator assumes complete responsibility for all activities in each promotion. These promotions include new-product launches, seasonal promotions or regular circular advertising programs.

Coordinators work jointly with manufacturers and retailers to ensure the availability of complete, accurate program information to all stakeholders. The coordinators subsequently drive all product-flow activities, including pre-books, quantity planning by distribution centre, ordering, receipt, outbound shipment tracking and promotion-effectiveness monitoring.

McKesson Canada provides its customers with detailed product information through several printed and electronic catalogues. For manufacturers, these catalogues provide a unique opportunity to distribute promotional inserts, announce new products, promote special seasonal offers and communicate updates and changes to Canada's most extensive retail and hospital pharmacy customer base.

Manufacturers can choose any combination of three principal catalogues to communicate their products' features to pharmacists, front shop managers, and category managers:

• The Emphasis Catalogue
  • Distributed regularly to all McKesson Canada customers, this printed catalogue provides complete information for all products available from McKesson Canada.
• The McKesson Canada Monthly
  • This printed circular is distributed monthly to publicize special offers and promotions.
• PharmaClik™ Online Catalogue
  • McKesson Canada's PharmaClik™ is a comprehensive Web-enabled order management system allowing pharmacies to place and manage their orders and returns online. The online order management system includes a complete product catalogue — updated regularly and available around the clock.
  • With the PharmaClik™ system's real-time daily updates, manufacturers can promote special offers and clearances.

McKesson Canada has a national network of distribution centres equipped with leading-edge technology to handle sensitive pharmaceutical products requiring refrigeration. An environmental monitoring system and profiling software ensure that products are maintained within stipulated storage guidelines.

McKesson Canada has established national standard operating procedures (SOPs), equipment and storage requirements to support the handling of these sensitive products. The company regularly audits its performance against these rigorous standards to ensure that uniform, consistent practices are in place across the entire national network.

McKesson Canada SOPs build on Health Canada Good Manufacturing Processes (GMP) guidelines. These SOPs define all functions — including receiving, put-away, storage, packaging, shipping and returns. Additionally, McKesson Canada has specialized GMP officers in all 13 locations where cold chain products are handled. These GMP officers supervise and enforce McKesson Canada SOPs at the distribution-centre level — ensuring that GMP guidelines are met.

McKesson Canada has a dedicated and fully-trained team to execute its comprehensive product-recall system with all of the company's 8,000 customers.

McKesson Canada can facilitate manufacturer recalls, both nationally and regionally, by coordinating all activities through one single contact point at the company's Service Centre in Saint-Laurent, Que. The Recall Coordinator uses established procedures and systems to execute required recall processes.

McKesson Canada can immediately notify customers of any recall notices and return instructions, coordinate customer returns and credits, and consolidate bulk returns to manufacturers.

McKesson Canada provides multiple electronic transaction options for all critical planning, purchasing and payment requirements for both its manufacturer and customer partners.

Manufacturers benefit from these electronic transaction options. Compared to paper-based transactions, they offer improved data accuracy and lower costs.

Currently, over 90 per cent of all McKesson Canada purchase orders are transmitted by EDI (electronic data interchange). Additionally, for many manufacturers, McKesson Canada has extended the transaction set to include advance shipment notices and electronic invoicing.

McKesson Canada facilitates manufacturers' store-level detailing activities. It supports multiple tools to assist manufacturer representatives with their order placements for retailers:

• McKesson can supply hand-held Telxon® units to qualifying manufacturers. These facilitate order generation during store visits and subsequent uploading - either immediately or at day's end.
• Eligible manufacturer representatives can use PharmaClik™, a comprehensive Web-based order management system, to place orders on behalf of pharmacies.
• Manufacturers also have the option to collect their representatives' store-level orders in their own central location, then review and modify these - ensuring that retailer needs are met. The manufacturers can then transmit each individual store order to McKesson Canada through industry-standard formats.
• To facilitate manufacturer representatives' flexibility, McKesson Canada also supports OPS Technologies' BeaverNet order generating system.

The McKesson Canada InfoAccess® service offers manufacturers the opportunity to access valuable market intelligence data. With InfoAccess®, manufacturers can tailor their data acquisition efforts to meet their unique needs, and opt for specific services for different products. Dedicated McKesson Canada professionals provide all information in a timely manner, in a customized, user-friendly electronic form.

For more information about InfoAccess®, click here.

Through the McKesson Specialty Pharmaceutical Solutions division, McKesson Canada offers manufacturers a suite of coordinated services. These facilitate product market entry, maximize patient access and provide superior distribution and prescription services for high-cost, restricted-access pharmaceutical products - specialty pharmaceuticals. McKesson Canada is the only national provider that can offer all these services to manufacturers - seamlessly, and from a single source.

Manufacturers benefit from this unique single-source service offering in a number of ways. Knowledge gained throughout each step of the product life cycle allows for maximum product-specific tailoring and ensures maximum market access - without the need for manufacturers to re-educate new providers.

McKesson Specialty Pharmaceutical Solutions includes three key service offerings:

• McKesson Specialty Distribution Services: This service's central distribution capability is complemented by 13 distribution centres located across the country. Each facility's comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs) and fully audited process channels exceed current cold chain management requirements.
• McKesson Specialty Prescription Services: This network of three strategically located, integrated prescription centres provides national reach for direct-to-patient programs.
• McKesson Specialty Patient Services: This McKesson Canada national contact centre, available around the clock, is staffed by a team of specially trained, compassionate, skilled personnel. Benefits and reimbursement support, patient education, case coordination and compliance program services serve to increase market access, as well as increase compliance for new, restricted-access products.

For more information about McKesson Specialty Pharmaceutical Solutions, click here.

McKesson Phase 4 Solutions offers strategic clinical and consulting services. These initiatives include late phase clinical trial services, health economics and outcomes research, and new product development and marketing strategies, as well as reimbursement management and payer relations. A multi-disciplinary team of scientific and business experts serves clients internationally from offices located in Toronto and Montreal. Every day, the team meets the complex and intricate challenges of moving molecules to market.

For more information about McKesson Phase 4 Solutions, click here.

The McKesson Logistics Solutions business unit provides third-party logistics services to manufacturers in the pharmaceutical, health care and cosmetics industries.

McKesson Logistics Solutions employs state-of-the-art information-technology systems to develop customized logistics solutions that meet each client's individual needs.

Manufacturers often select McKesson Logistics Solutions when they require a Canadian supply chain presence but do not wish to dedicate the capital, resources and management attention required to execute in the unique Canadian market.

McKesson Logistics Solutions also executes agency agreements with its manufacturer clients, being appointed as the quality assurance representative in Canada and fulfilling Health Canada regulatory requirements for product quality assurance.

For more information about McKesson Logistics Solutions, click here.

McKesson Canada is the national logistics provider for the Canadian Pharmaceutical Distribution Network (CPDN). CPDN is a manufacturer-owned, voluntary membership organization through which hospitals have access to a consolidated supply chain source of products for over 20 pharmaceutical manufacturers.

McKesson Canada houses this inventory using dedicated CPDN warehouses within the company's distribution centres in Vancouver, British Columbia; Edmonton, Alberta; and Brampton, Ontario.

CPDN's customers also have online access to CPDN Gateway, a Web-based order management system, which includes a catalogue of products offered by CPDN members.

For more information, please contact: gloria.wynnyck@mckesson.ca

To visit CPDN's Web site, click here.