FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – January 2013, Andover, MA

Yankee Alliance announces that John Vlahopoulos, Pharm. D. has joined the company as Vice President, Pharmacy Services.

John is an analytical healthcare management professional with pharmacy practice experience in an acute care medical center. He has received many leadership distinctions from the Banner Health System and is an adjunct faculty member of 4 of the nation’s leading universities. He will be responsible for the Yankee Alliance pharmacy services program that provides contracting, clinical, operational, financial and consulting services to optimize members’ therapeutic and economic return for their medication cost investment.

 Mark Scagliarini, Senior Vice President Supply Chain Services, says “We are excited to have added someone with John’s experience and energy to the team.  I believe that he will be a valuable asset to our organization and our members as he works closely with them on educational and cost savings initiatives.”

John will work with member pharmacy directors, senior and mid-level management to define their needs and develop appropriate services and products. He will identify best practices, opportunities for controlling costs, increasing operational efficiency and improving medication safety, utilization and therapeutic outcomes. John will also manage and direct Yankee Alliance pharmacy analytics and contracting staff to identify savings opportunities, assist in contract implementation, and monitor vendor performance, along with other programs that monitor and control medication expenses.    

John says, “I am impressed with Yankee Alliance’s success with pharmacy contracting and utilization efforts and look forward to leading the expansion of utilization savings opportunities for our members’ pharmacy departments.”

John comes to Yankee Alliance after spending six years with Banner Del Webb Medical Center, a 400 bed hospital that is part of the Banner Health System where he most recently was the Director of Pharmacy. At Banner John was responsible for strategic planning, contracting, vendor selection, procurement, logistics, distribution and development of a functional vision and business plan for a pharmacy department of 46 professional and support staff. He also created a culture of continuous improvement and innovation resulting in over $1.5 million in annual savings.

For more information please contact; Amy Campbell, Senior Vice President, Administration, Yankee Alliance, (978) 470-2000 or at acampbell@yankeealliance.com.