Vizient released its summer 2026 Spend Management Outlook, projecting 3.54% pharmacy inflation and 4.73% indirect spend and purchased services inflation for 2027. Growth in technology, facilities, construction, and other non-clinical services reflects the expanding role these investments play in healthcare organizations’ overall spending.
Together, these trends are projected to drive overall supply chain, capital, and purchased services inflation to 3.39% in 2027, underscoring the need for healthcare organizations to manage costs across both clinical and operational categories.
“The drivers of healthcare spending continue to evolve,” said Carina Dolan, associate vice president, clinical oncology, pharmacoeconomics and market insights, Vizient. “As care expands beyond the hospital and organizations invest in technology and infrastructure, spending decisions are becoming increasingly interconnected. Understanding these trends is essential to making informed investment decisions while maintaining financial sustainability.”
Pharmacy spending continues to follow patients beyond the hospital
Care will continue to move beyond the traditional hospital setting, reshaping where healthcare organizations invest and how they plan for future demand. Overall ambulatory pharmacy inflation is projected at 3.64%, driven by projected inflation of 4.04% for specialty and complex medications.
GLP-1 therapies continue to reshape self-administered pharmacy spending. Tirzepatide rose to the No. 2 self-administered medication by spend, accounting for 3.47% of pharmacy spend, while semaglutide remained in the top five at 2.33%. Together, these two therapies now represent 5.80% of self-administered pharmacy spend, up from 4.74% in the winter 2026 Outlook. Annual utilization for tirzepatide increased 101.2% from 2024 to 2025 among Vizient Pharmacy Program participants, reflecting continued strong demand.
Additionally, almost half of pharmaceutical spending will come from two categories that will also have two of the highest rates of price inflation:
- Oncology drugs, including Keytruda, Darzalex Faspro, Opdivo, and Imfinzi, account for 25.59% of pharmacy spending, with costs projected to increase 4.14%.
- Autoimmune and anti-inflammatory therapeutics, such as Skyrizi, Dupixent, Humira, and Enbrel, account for 23.39% of spending with costs projected to increase by 4.10%.
Investment in technology infrastructure and operational services continues to fuel indirect spend growth
As healthcare organizations continue investing in clinical informatics, AI-enabled diagnostics, and digital transformation, there will be growing costs associated with both the acquisition and utilization of these capabilities. Projections show the inflation increase of these indirect spend categories will be driven by continued increases in IT security (8.50%), IT hardware and accessories (8.00%), and IT software and licensing (7.50%) as organizations strengthen operations.
Beyond technology spending, organizations continue to face growing pressure from wider macroeconomic trends driving up the cost of food (4.16% projected increase), construction (4.70%), and capital equipment (4.15%). These investments increasingly influence organizational resilience, services continuity and long-term performance, requiring greater coordination across finance, supply chain, operations, and clinical leadership.
“Indirect spend has evolved from support categories into a strategic capability,” said Dolan. “Investments in technology and infrastructure increasingly influence how organizations deliver care, strengthen resiliency, and position themselves for future growth.”
Pharmacy projections for the summer 2026 Spend Management Outlook are based on Vizient client purchases April 2025–March 2026. Non-pharmacy supply chain projections are based on a Vizient analysis of various public sources including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Energy Information Administration. Read more in the Vizient Spend Management Outlook.
About Vizient
Vizient® enables healthcare providers to deliver better, more affordable care by improving financial sustainability, enhancing system performance, and accelerating strategic growth. More than two-thirds of the nation’s acute care providers and more than one-third of ambulatory providers rely on Vizient solutions and services. By combining the nation’s most influential healthcare leader networks with industry-leading data and analytics, comprehensive solutions, and advisory services through Kaufman Hall, Vizient helps providers achieve financial, clinical, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Irving, Texas, Vizient has offices throughout the United States. Learn more at vizient.com.
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