Cardinal Health
Cardinal Health is dedicated to improving the cost-effectiveness of healthcare. Cardinal Health helps pharmacies, hospitals and ambulatory care sites focus on patient care while reducing costs, improving efficiency and quality and increasing profitability. Worldwide, Cardinal Health employs more than 30,000 people.
Cardinal Health began in 1971 when founder Robert D. Walter opened a small distribution center in Columbus, Ohio. Within a decade, the then-named Cardinal Foods became a prominent regional food distributor until branching into pharmaceutical distribution in 1979, when the company purchased a Zanesville, Ohio drug distributor and became known as Cardinal Distribution. Cardinal Health went public in 1983 and expanded its fast-growing pharmaceutical distribution business over the next decade with the acquisition of more than a dozen U.S. drug distributors. By 1987, Cardinal Health's pharmaceutical distribution business had become nearly twice the size of the food distribution business that it then sold. The company expanded considerably over the next few years, and revenues exceeded $1 billion in 1991. By 1994, Cardinal Health had established itself as a leader in the drug distribution business with a nationwide presence and annual revenues of approximately $6 billion.
Cardinal Health has continued to evolve, serving health care manufacturers and patient care providers around the world. The company's acquisitions included Pyxis Corp. in automated supply and pharmaceutical dispensing; Owen Healthcare in hospital pharmacy management; Medicine Shoppe International in pharmacy franchising; R.P. Scherer Corp. and Automated Liquid Packaging in drug delivery formulation and contract manufacturing; PCI Services, Inc., in pharmaceutical packaging; Allegiance Corp. in medical-surgical product manufacturing and distribution; Bergen Brunswig in medical-surgical distribution to hospitals and care continuum; and Bindley Western in pharmaceutical distribution.
At present, Cardinal Health provides an integrated offering of innovative products and services to help hospitals, pharmacies and other healthcare providers meet the growing challenges of a dynamic industry. Cardinal Health is a multinational health care industry services provider that applies vast resources, knowledge and expertise to help healthcare manufacturers and patient care providers meet their most pressing challenges, while providing better, safer delivery of care.