{"id":3575,"date":"2024-01-10T10:17:42","date_gmt":"2024-01-10T15:17:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muutaa.com\/?p=3575"},"modified":"2024-01-11T10:00:11","modified_gmt":"2024-01-11T15:00:11","slug":"transforming-data-into-informed-decisions-how-to-revolutionize-and-optimize-the-healthcare-supply-chain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muutaa.com\/fr\/transforming-data-into-informed-decisions-how-to-revolutionize-and-optimize-the-healthcare-supply-chain\/","title":{"rendered":"Transforming data into informed decisions: How to revolutionize and optimize the healthcare supply chain"},"content":{"rendered":"

At the current rate of change, the path to sustainability in healthcare requires supply chain stakeholders to reimagine what\u2019s possible when data is unlocked to its full potential.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s health systems and their partners face unprecedented financial pressures, driven in part by high inflation and often severe disruptions in the availability of labor, medications, and medical supplies. By the same token, healthcare providers want to reduce the impact of product shortages, understand causes for disruptions, and partner with manufacturers to work collaboratively toward solutions.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Manufacturers and distributors, for their part, are looking for greater visibility into provider needs for different categories of products. To move from transactional relationships to <\/span>strategic partnerships<\/span><\/a>, these healthcare trading partners seek transparency related to scheduling, patient volumes, and protocol changes that can impact demand.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All parties involved are concerned about reducing stress and lowering costs, and the key to their success lies in data. Simply having data is not the solution \u2013 in today\u2019s world, information is abundant. What\u2019s needed is intelligent, purpose-built technology for analyzing and <\/span>using data<\/span><\/a> in ways that enable the healthcare supply chain to improve visibility, decrease disruptions, and enhance customer support in meaningful ways at every level.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Better visibility would be a big step in the right direction. In the long term, we need to strengthen relationships with our key suppliers and <\/span>identify<\/span> what information we could share with<\/span> them<\/span><\/span> to<\/span> provide<\/span> <\/span>better <\/span>insight<\/span> into our needs.<\/span>\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Solving the supply chain visibility challenge\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Historically, different health system departments have managed their own budgets and inventory. Today, more and more health systems have the vision to create a shared services supply chain organization where supply management is efficient, smart, and rational.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the shared services approach, it is critical to have clear visibility into future demand requirements to proactively prepare without overstocking and putting the health system in a <\/span>cash flow<\/span><\/a> dilemma. The ability to <\/span>predict demand with precision<\/span><\/a> provides opportunities to optimize <\/span>PAR levels<\/span><\/a>, stock returns, and procurement strategies while keeping a close watch on critical products.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Top five benefits of optimal product demand predictions:\u00a0<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. More time for providers to take the right action at the right moment\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Potential reduction in back order management\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Fewer negative rebound effects of managing returns<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Lower risk of inventory expiring before use\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. Decreased physical space required for inventory storage at the health system<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201c<\/span><\/span>When<\/span> a <\/span>product<\/span> is<\/span> on back<\/span> order<\/span> but<\/span> a <\/span>true<\/span> understanding<\/span> of <\/span>demand<\/span> is<\/span> not <\/span>available<\/span>, an <\/span>enormous<\/span> amount<\/span> of effort <\/span>is<\/span> invested<\/span> by value <\/span>analysis<\/span>, <\/span>procurement<\/span>,<\/span> and data management<\/span> teams<\/span> to <\/span>find<\/span> alternative solutions. This process <\/span>is<\/span> very<\/span> costly<\/span>. <\/span>Often<\/span>,<\/span> once a substitute <\/span>is<\/span> ordered<\/span>, <\/span>a <\/span>notification <\/span>comes<\/span> from the principal supplier <\/span>that<\/span> stock <\/span>is<\/span> now<\/span> available<\/span> for the original item, <\/span>so<\/span> we<\/span> place an <\/span>order<\/span> to procure <\/span>exactly<\/span> what<\/span> the provider <\/span>wanted<\/span>. This <\/span>then<\/span> starts the <\/span>whole<\/span> process of <\/span>returning<\/span> the substitute<\/span>,<\/span> which<\/span> can <\/span>be<\/span> long and <\/span>tedious<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

    Supply chain disruption management: An exhausting process<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Whether it\u2019s due to delivery delays, sudden changes in demand, or back orders from manufacturers and distributors, supply chain disruptions can cause delayed procedures \u2013 especially when the situation involves products that have no approved substitutions. When therapies and treatments are delayed, patient care and overall health outcomes are impacted.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Furthermore, internal customers (e.g., clinicians) frequently ask questions regarding the status of their requisitions. The supply chain customer service process can be chaotic and overwhelming at times, specifically in times of shortages and disruptions. This leaves clinicians frustrated when their questions are not answered quickly and\/or the supply chain team seems non-transparent. In today\u2019s era of labor shortages and staff burnout, it is now more important than ever to provide rapid, reliable, and helpful responses to all inventory inquiries.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    And yet, business support analysts receive thousands of supply-related customer service requests annually from both internal customers and external partners, and it can take several hours to respond to each request. <\/span>Accurate answers often require consultation with four to five different information sources or with the supplier, and sometimes a question must be rerouted to a subject matter expert,<\/span> creating bottlenecks in the process<\/span>. <\/span>In an effort to facilitate data accessibility, access to order requisition systems and other information sources has sometimes been consolidated for simplified access, requiring users to have expert training to interact with the different systems to find the answers.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Smart healthcare leaders invest in smart solutions<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Increasingly, hospital and health system leaders are recognizing the problems described above and making smart technology investments to solve them. According to a <\/span>2023 survey<\/span><\/a> of healthcare provider executives by Bain & Company and KLAS Research:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n