By Matt Parker, PharmD, MHA – VP of Trulla

As Consolidated Service Centers (CSCs) have become one of the leading strategies for generating cost savings and operational efficiencies for health systems across the country, many pharmacy leaders are now in various stages of planning to bring a CSC live within the next 12 to 36 months.

During the planning and preparation phases, one of the biggest considerations is the technology requirement—and the age-old question: IMS or WMS?

If one or both of those acronyms are unfamiliar, don’t worry—we’ll unpack them here.

Let’s start with the basics.

Inventory Management System (IMS)
Purpose:
Tracks inventory levels, processes orders (picks), and allows for the receiving of shipments and deliveries.

Key Functions:

Real-time inventory tracking (how much you have and where it is)

• Facilitates replenishment via reorder alerts (min/max thresholds)
• Organizes receiving and inventory put-away
• Often integrates with procurement or ERP systems
• Can operate and manage physical inventory devices (i.e. automated dispensing cabinets and carousels)

Warehouse Management System (WMS)
Purpose:
Optimizes the physical storage and movement of goods within a warehouse or distribution center.

Key Functions:

• Warehouse layout and space optimization
• Picking, packing, and shipping management
• Barcode/RFID scanning and tracking
• Labor management and task assignment
• Dock and yard management
• Often integrates with procurement or ERP systems

As you can see, IMS and WMS are closely related, but they serve different (though sometimes overlapping) purposes. The key difference is this: IMS focuses on inventory visibility and tracking, while WMS focuses on the efficiency and optimization of operations within the four walls of a warehouse.

Now that you have the foundation, let’s return to the original question: which one do you actually need?

At SpendMend, our industry-leading experts have worked with CSCs across the country—from large health systems to smaller, regional operations. And in most cases, when a new CSC is just getting off the ground, a simple IMS solution is all that’s really needed.

On Day 1, your top priority is to have products on the shelf and know how much you have and where they are located. Most health systems start out by leveraging their existing pharmacy IMS to manage products at the CSC. As your operation grows in scale and complexity, you may eventually reach a point where a WMS becomes necessary to manage the CSC efficiently.

So, you might be thinking, “Great—IMS it is, then!” But before you make that decision, consider this: there are several critical functions a CSC needs that neither IMS nor WMS address.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. How will you process orders to your wholesalers, secondary suppliers, and manufacturers?
2. How will you determine the optimal NDC to purchase at the CSC and for the local sites it serves?
3. How can you ensure that your pharmacies route orders appropriately to the CSC versus the primary wholesaler?
4. How will you receive and manage orders from clinics or physician practices—and can you limit what they have access to?
5. What about 340B? Is it even possible to maintain compliance with the GPO Prohibition when servicing both 340B and non-340B sites from a single CSC?

To be clear: IMS and WMS won’t help you answer these questions. For that, you need a procurement system with an automated 340B compliance mechanism.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were a single solution that could automate procurement, optimize NDC selection, maintain 340B compliance, and even offer IMS functionality?

Good news—there is: Trulla.

A little History:
While Trulla now supports medication procurement across health systems—whether or not they operate a CSC—it was originally built to solve procurement complexities and ensure 340B compliance within CSCs.

Over time, Trulla evolved to support a single shopping cart for all orders (wholesaler, direct, and internal/CSC). As more clients opened CSCs, new functionality was added, including an inventory module and a mobile app that supports ordering, receiving, picking, and shipping workflows.

How Trulla Helps CSCs:
While Trulla offers some IMS functionality, that’s not why most IDNs choose it. They choose Trulla for three key reasons:

1. One procurement system: Pharmacy buyers can purchase from all vendors—wholesalers, non-wholesaler vendors, and internal CSC inventory—through a single platform.
2. 340B compliance: Trulla’s CSC module includes a best-in-class “340B Engine” that supports compliant GPO inventory while maintaining GPO prohibition and maximizing 340B savings.
3. Cost savings: Trulla delivers robust analytics that support all procurement activities, helping identify savings opportunities both within and outside the CSC.

In closing, IMS and WMS have their place, but they don’t solve the full range of challenges CSCs face—especially around procurement and 340B compliance. That’s where Trulla comes in. It’s the all-in-one solution built to help your CSC operate smarter from day one.

Trulla has not and will not be an IMS or a WMS. We are laser focused on being the best pharmacy procurement software in the US.

Ready to take the next step? We’re here to help.