Ben Helfinstein shares how NDC is leveraging its unique position between manufacturers and distributors to uncover growth opportunities, improve pricing strategy and streamline operations.
As artificial intelligence continues to dominate the healthcare conversation, the real story is beginning to shift from hype to execution – particularly within the supply chain. For distributors and manufacturers alike, the question is no longer whether AI will have an impact, but where it is already driving measurable value. Increasingly, that value is emerging not from flashy automation alone, but from the ability to turn vast amounts of fragmented data into clear, actionable insight.
In an interview with Repertoire Magazine, Ben Helfinstein, President of Partner Solutions at NDC Inc., offers a grounded perspective on where transformation is truly taking hold. “NDC sits between hundreds of healthcare manufacturers and more than a thousand distributors and dealers, which gives us a distinctive vantage point into pricing, purchasing behavior and channel execution,” he said.
He points to a decisive evolution in how organizations approach data – moving beyond static reporting toward real-time intelligence that informs pricing, contract strategy and growth opportunities. With healthcare distribution becoming more complex and contract-intensive, Helfinstein emphasizes that success will depend on how effectively organizations can align data, decision-making, and execution.
Repertoire: There is a lot of talk in healthcare supply chain about AI right now – but where do you think the real transformation is actually happening: analytics, automation or decision-making?
Ben Helfinstein: AI will transform all three. The earliest and most practical impact is in analytics that improve decision-making. At NDC, we are very focused on that distinction: the goal is not to produce more reporting, but to deliver actionable insights that help our partners grow profitably and operate more efficiently.
AI-powered automation is also accelerating quickly, especially in complex, rules-driven workflows. But the real value in automation only shows up when AI is grounded in high-quality data and embedded in mature operating processes.
Repertoire: How is NDC currently leveraging data differently than it did even two or three years ago?
Helfinstein: Because of our unique channel position, NDC’s partners – both manufacturers and distributors – look to us for solutions that power their growth and efficiency. In recent years, the areas where they are asking for help are increasingly powered by data.
Two or three years ago, a lot of organizations were focused on reporting and analytics for data exploration. Today, we are focused on actionable insights. NDC is aggregating richer data than ever before and using it to help both manufacturers and distributors answer practical questions: Where are we growing or shrinking? Where are we under-penetrated? Where is there share-of-wallet opportunity?
Where are pricing or contract dynamics limiting growth or margin? We are also much more focused on speed, self-service and embedding automation into workflows so that data is not just informative, but powering efficient execution.
Repertoire: What types of data are becoming most valuable in the healthcare supply chain – utilization, purchasing behavior, outcomes, pricing transparency, or something else?
Ben Helfinstein: All of those matter, but in our part of the market, purchasing behavior, pricing intelligence and channel-level transactional data are especially valuable. Those data sets help companies understand true demand, identify growth opportunities, spot mispricing, and better align commercial strategy with operational execution. In a market as fragmented and contract-intensive as healthcare distribution, having visibility into what is being bought, at what price, through which channels, is incredibly powerful.
Repertoire: Where do you see the biggest untapped data opportunity within the distributor–manufacturer relationship?
Ben Helfinstein: One of the biggest untapped opportunities is creating a more shared, actionable view of demand, pricing alignment and execution. Too often, manufacturers and distributors are working from fragmented or incomplete pictures of the market. Better visibility into purchasing behavior and better coordination between commercial intent and operational execution can unlock growth, improve margin and reduce friction in the relationship. That is where better data can move from being informative to becoming a real competitive advantage.
Repertoire: How does NDC turn large volumes of transactional data into actionable intelligence rather than just reporting?
Helfinstein: The key is starting with the decisions our partners are trying to make, not with the data itself. We use data to answer practical business questions: where there is whitespace, where there is under-penetration, where pricing may be misaligned, where margin may be leaking, or where contract execution may not be performing as intended. The goal is not just to produce reports; it is to help manufacturers ensure they are offering the price they intend to the market, and helping distributors efficiently access the best costs available to support profitable growth.
On the business management side, we also help partners navigate enormous pricing complexity across GPO and local contract structures, using data to support contract administration, rebate and chargeback processing, sales trace aggregation and dispute management.
Repertoire: What problems in healthcare distribution are uniquely suited for AI compared to other industries?
Helfinstein: Healthcare distribution is complex, fragmented and consists of high-volume transactional activity. There are massive numbers of price points, contract relationships, and operational and data handoffs across manufacturers, distributors, GPOs and providers. That makes it a strong environment for AI, particularly in areas like exception management, anomaly detection, workflow automation and surfacing decision-ready insights from large volumes of data.
Repertoire: How could better data connectivity reshape the traditional healthcare supply chain model?
Helfinstein: Better data connectivity can make the supply chain far more coordinated, transparent and responsive. Instead of each participant operating from a partial view, manufacturers, distributors and other channel partners can align more effectively around demand signals, pricing intent, contract access and operational execution. Over time, that can help reshape the model from one that is often reactive and fragmented into one that is more connected, proactive and efficient. It also creates the foundation for more intelligent automation and better decision-making across the channel.
Repertoire: What role will data play in addressing shortages and disruptions moving forward?
Helfinstein: Data will play a critical role because shortages and disruptions are ultimately visibility and response problems as much as supply problems. Better data helps organizations identify changes in demand earlier, understand where pressure is building, and respond faster with pricing, sourcing, allocation and channel strategies. The more connected and timely the data environment becomes, the better the industry will be at anticipating disruption rather than simply reacting to it after the fact.
Repertoire: What excites you most – and what concerns you most – about where data and AI are taking healthcare?
Helfinstein: What is most exciting is the potential to make healthcare supply chains smarter, faster, and more efficient in ways that directly benefit manufacturers, distributors and ultimately care delivery. We are moving into an environment where companies can make much better use of the data they already have and apply AI to workflows that have historically been manual, slow and difficult to scale. The biggest concern is that organizations chase hype instead of value. AI is incredibly powerful but works best when applied to the right use cases, supported by high-quality data, and integrated into mature business processes. The opportunity is enormous, but disciplined execution will matter.
SIDEBAR
Key takeaways
• Actionable insights > static reporting: The greatest impact of AI today is in analytics that directly inform decision-making – not just generating more data, but turning it into clear, usable direction for growth and efficiency.
• Data maturity drives automation success: AI-powered automation is accelerating, but its real value depends on high-quality data and well-established operational processes.
• Purchasing and pricing data are critical: Visibility into purchasing behavior, pricing intelligence and transactional data helps identify demand trends, uncover mispricing, and align strategy with execution.
• Shared data unlocks channel growth: Better alignment and transparency between manufacturers and distributors can reduce friction, improve margins and reveal untapped opportunities.
• Connectivity improves resilience: More connected, real-time data enables organizations to anticipate disruptions, respond faster to shortages and operate a more proactive, efficient supply chain.