Improving Health Care Supply Chain Management

Responding to crisis with agility

If the events of the past year have taught the medical community and industries anything, it is that we need to improve global healthcare supply chain management. At times when healthcare systems are under huge amounts of stress and pressure, and in need of new supplies fast, improved supply chain management will save lives. 

At the same time, in an increasingly connected global world and economy, we need to understand what happens to well established medical supply chain networks, when international travel is disrupted, or when borders are closed. 

How do we build an agile, reliable healthcare supply chain network, which is based on both developing more local options for medical device development and manufacturing, while also continuing to build on a global network of distributors, producers, and end users. This requires a carefully coordinated approach to supply chain management that takes into account the lessons learnt in the past year. 

Local sourcing

Twelve months ago it seemed inconceivable that anything would disrupt the global supply chain. We know, however, that this is no longer the case, and medical supply chain management now demands we focus on local sourcing, as and where we can. While locally sourced products may cost more, what they can guarantee is reliable supplies, even when global transport chains are disrupted or delayed. 

This also requires greater investment in local startups within countries, who are able to develop and manufacture medical devices and supplies. More investment in medical device development, through incubators and other means, are important in helping countries to build their own reliable, internal supply chains for healthcare. 

Demand planning

Being prepared for any eventuality, in terms of healthcare and medical supplies, may not always be practically possible in terms of funding, and the logistics of storage. But what can be planned is how a healthcare setting, or hospital, will access needed and necessary supplies during a potential healthcare crisis or disaster- be it man made or naturally occurring. From pandemics, to earthquakes, and war, healthcare settings can plan for any eventuality, and how they will guarantee their supply chain management, taking into account all and any disruptions to it. 

Agility

Healthcare settings need reliable supply chain management, but they also need to be able to respond to agility when this supply chain is interrupted, or disrupted, for any reason. This means understanding how and where to source different supplies, should access to any one supplier be stopped or disrupted. 

This means building a network of local and global suppliers, and distributors, in order to establish an extensive supply chain network. 

At Chaban Medical, we have spent the last year understanding how to respond with agility with a global situation in constant flux. We believe in the importance of supporting local medical device developers and startups, while building an extensive network of global distributors for our products. 

To learn more about how we build quality, distribution networks, contact us.