HDA’s 2026 DMA Award Winner Discusses the Benefits of Cardinal Health’s EDI 852 Quarantine Field Solution
As supply chain stakeholders continue to adapt to Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) requirements following a lengthy and technical implementation period, some HDA member companies are discovering that practical tools to improve visibility can make a meaningful difference across the supply chain. Cardinal Health’s EDI 852 quarantine field solution is one such discovery, designed to provide suppliers with timely insight into quarantined product and to help streamline resolution when issues arise. At last month’s Distribution Management Conference in Austin, HDA recognized Cardinal Health for their efforts by presenting the company with the association’s 2026 Distribution Management Award.
In the conversation below, Marc DeLorenzo, Senior Vice President of Strategic Sourcing at Cardinal Health, reflects on the collaboration behind the initiative, the value of transparency and the impact this kind of innovation can have on the healthcare supply chain.
HDA: Congratulations on receiving the 2026 Distribution Management Award. What does this recognition mean to your team and to Cardinal Health more broadly?
DeLorenzo: It really is an honor to help improve visibility for not only our internal teams, but also suppliers across the industry. Now more than ever, transparency helps build trust, and this award highlights how we’re doing that for the suppliers we support.
HDA: What challenge or opportunity initially led to the EDI 852 quarantine field solution, and can you walk us through the thinking behind incorporating a DSCSA quarantine indicator into the report?
DeLorenzo: Before DSCSA requirements took effect, our teams began working behind the scenes to ensure that if suppliers’ products were put in a quarantined status, they knew about it quickly and were able to resolve it. With the new EPCIS transaction history requirements, products had to fit the new industry standard prior to being received. The quarantine data field within EDI showed suppliers quickly if their product did not meet those standards, as well as visibility into how long the item stays in quarantine. This allows suppliers to help advocate internally for resolution and the appropriate transaction data to be transmitted.
HDA: What lessons from this project could help other companies improve visibility and collaboration across the healthcare supply chain?
DeLorenzo: Throughout this project, our teams collaborated across the industry to understand what would not only benefit our suppliers but also ultimately their patients. We worked with data aggregators and suppliers to find the easiest path to add the quarantine field to make it as seamless as possible for all parties involved. With improved visibility, we’re able to get products to their destination quickly while also ensuring patient safety through correct and accurate product packaging and data. This project showcased the importance of open, honest discussions to identify critical pain points that naturally come along with a large-scale change. I’m proud of the way our team worked together to continuously solve problems and promote transparency.
To learn more about the Distribution Management Award, click here. If you are interested in hearing more about the industry’s progress on the DSCSA and traceability, register for HDA’s Traceability Seminar on August 31–September 2, 2026, in Washington, D.C.