Cardinal drops $360M on home care; M&A wave reshapes supply lines
Supply Chain Pulse — 2026-07-22
Cardinal Health is writing $360 million in checks today, snapping up Strive Medical and AdventHealth's diabetes unit to double down on at-home care — a channel that's quietly becoming one of the most complex distribution challenges in healthcare supply chain. That move lands alongside a flurry of hospital consolidation news, from an 8-hospital Denver joint venture between Intermountain and AdventHealth to struggling systems lobbying states to fast-track merger reviews before the money runs out. The throughline here is structural: your supplier and customer landscapes are both shifting at the same time. If your contract portfolios and distributor relationships aren't already mapped to where care delivery is heading, today's a good day to start that conversation.
Quick Hits
- Cross Country Healthcare acquired by private equity firm Knox Lane, per Modern Healthcare's deals tracker — watch for potential changes to staffing supply contracts. (Modern Healthcare)
- Sanford Health is selling Marshfield Clinic's hospital to UW Health, less than 18 months after acquiring the Wisconsin system in January 2025. (Modern Healthcare)
Cardinal Health Makes $360M Acquisition Duo to Advance Home Care Business
Cardinal Health is acquiring Strive Medical, a home enteral nutrition supplier, and Adapt Health's diabetes supply unit for a combined ~$360 million, signaling a serious push into the at-home care distribution space. For supply chain leaders, this consolidation means Cardinal is positioning to become a more dominant player in durable medical equipment and chronic disease supply channels — expect pricing and contract dynamics to shift as the market concentrates. If your IDN or ASC has home care affiliates or discharge supply programs, now is the time to review distributor agreements with this realignment in mind.
Source: Medical Device Network
Intermountain Health and AdventHealth to Form 8-Hospital Denver Joint Venture
Intermountain Health and AdventHealth are forming a joint venture covering 8 Denver-area hospitals, associated facilities, and physician practices — one of the larger regional consolidations of 2026 so far. For vendors and GPO partners, a combined entity of this size typically triggers contract renegotiations, standardization initiatives, and potential shifts in preferred supplier relationships. If you serve either system in the Mountain West region, get ahead of the integration team now before purchasing decisions get locked in.
Struggling Hospitals Push States to Speed Up Merger Approval Timelines
As more states expand regulatory oversight of healthcare transactions, financially distressed hospitals are warning that extended review periods — sometimes stretching 12–18 months — could kill mergers that are their last path to staying open. For supply chain professionals, a failed merger often means a disruptive mid-cycle closure, contract terminations, and sudden loss of a customer or supplier partner with little runway to adjust. Watch your at-risk accounts: if a system in your region is in merger limbo, start contingency planning now rather than at the 11th hour.
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