Proven Strategies for Supply Chain Savings

The current landscape of inflationary and financial pressures, global insecurity, and expanding points of care is challenging healthcare to rethink processes. Too often, the supply chain sector is seen as low-hanging fruit for driving savings, however, as it directly impacts every patient, this needs to be done carefully.

A recent article I wrote for Modern Healthcare outlines four time-tested strategies that have proven to be instrumental in driving maximum efficiency while  assuring clinical effectiveness. Applying these proven supply chain strategies to healthcare logistics, produces hidden savings.

1.Effective inventory management includes not only maintaining an adequate stock of essential items but also mitigating waste and maximizing the efficient use of inventory. A modern strategy harnesses economies of scale to share inventory across the system.

2.Shipping cost management aligns the transportation of goods seamlessly within the established logistics infrastructure to optimize utilization and minimize redundancies. Accordingly, integrating shipping with existing courier operations can drive efficiency.

3.Risk management acknowledges the critical impact of supply chain on patient care. A novel approach to risk management prioritizes the reduction of logistics/courier errors, managing risk and driving savings.

4.By implementing standardization, a health system can function as a true system, instead of a collection of facilities. A connected logistics network supports the consolidation of support services while minimizing duplication of efforts and resources.

Partnerships can enable optimization.  Exceptional logistics partners can become the backbone of a healthcare system, expertly tackling these supply chain intricacies while healthcare providers focus on what matters most – delivering high-quality and uninterrupted patient care.