Healthcare and Supply Chain: What you Need to Know

Earlier this year, hospitals everywhere were at capacity as more and more patients - many of them fighting for their lives against Covid-19 - came through their doors. While frontline workers such as doctors and nurses worked long hours to care for these patients, they were being supported by support staff, including supply chain managers. Hospital supply chain managers are responsible for having life saving tools, medicines, and supplies on hand, but in this midst of a global pandemic, many of them found themselves struggling to stock supplies that had once been readily available. 

It's no surprise that the use of technology in hospitals is at an all-time high. However, according to a recent survey of 100 hospital supply chain leaders, nearly half of healthcare providers still use a manual process to track inventory. With demand for PPE continuing to rise, can healthcare providers continue with this dangerous trend?

Watch Now: Supply Chain Manager Critical to Hospital Operations During Coronavirus Pandemic

There is good news: surveys show that there is a potential for cost savings in hospitals. One analysis estimates that hospitals could save an average of $11 million annually by streamlining their supply chain processes. This means that investing in supply chain technology and managing costs should be a number one priority for healthcare leaders.

Mobile inventory management simplifies and automates repetitive and error-prone tasks performed within healthcare organizations. The many benefits of software automation include streamlining inventory, minimizing waste, and reducing operational costs. In a healthcare environment, barcoded inventory is more important than ever for ensuring that life-saving inventory is available at every moment.

What to Look for in an Inventory Management Solution

• Ease of Use: Your supply chain software should help care providers to achieve efficient system operations and maintain the standardization of processes.
• Scalability: Your software should grow with your organization - you shouldn't have to re-evaluate or re-implement every few years.
• Reporting and analytics: Your software should generate accurate, real-time inventory reporting information that gives you total visibility to your supply chain.