Children's Hospital Coalition

The Children's Hospital Coalition is a U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to addressing the critical issue of pediatric drug shortages and improving the supply chain for essential medicines in children's hospitals. The coalition is formed by several top children's hospitals across the nation in partnership with Phlow, a company that specializes in addressing medicine shortages.

Mission

The mission of the Children's Hospital Coalition is to ensure a reliable supply of high-quality, affordable essential medicines for treating children. This mission is driven by the recognition that shortages of essential medicines can compromise patient care, increase hospital costs, and cause inefficiencies in healthcare delivery.

Partnerships and Members

The coalition includes founding members such as Arkansas Children's, Boston Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Children's Hospital of Richmond, Children's National Hospital, Children's Wisconsin, Cincinnati Children's, Cook Children's, Intermountain Primary Children's Hospital, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, and Nationwide Children's Hospital. These hospitals collaborate to leverage their collective expertise and resources to tackle the challenges associated with pediatric medication shortages.

Initiatives

A key initiative of the coalition is to address the nation's broken essential medicines supply chain. By working together with Phlow, they aim to create a more sustainable and reliable system for providing critical medications that are specifically formulated for children. This is particularly important given that traditional manufacturing often overlooks pediatric formulations, leading to unique shortages affecting children's hospitals.

Impact

The coalition's efforts are expected to have a significant impact on pediatric healthcare by ensuring that essential medicines are consistently available and accessible to all children's hospitals. This not only improves patient outcomes but also supports the economic and operational stability of these hospitals by reducing the financial and logistical burdens associated with shortages.

Background

The issue of medication shortages has been exacerbated by recent global health crises, highlighting the need for such collaborative efforts to secure the supply chain of critical medications for children. The Children's Hospital Coalition represents a pioneering approach towards solving this systemic problem through innovative partnerships and collective action.