The Importance of Healthcare Supply Chain Management
What is Healthcare Supply Chain Management?
Healthcare supply chain management, or healthcare supply chain logistics, is defined as “the regulation of the flow of medical goods and services from manufacturer to patient.”
Healthcare supply chain management goes far beyond ensuring latex gloves are stocked. Healthcare supply chain management includes:
Healthcare supply chain management is complex because its processes touch numerous parties, including manufacturers, hospitals, providers, patients, stakeholders, regulatory agencies (i.e. FDA), and purchasing organizations.
Each aforementioned party has its own interest in mind. For example, hospitals may want to use certain products or devices to stay cost-conscious, whereas providers might prefer another product or device based on their training.
Understandably, the healthcare supply chain management process is complex and often fragmented.
Why Is Supply Chain Management in the Healthcare Industry Important?
Supply chain management within the healthcare industry is critical to provide quality healthcare services and outcomes for patients.
Proper supply chain management helps healthcare organizations:
Healthcare Supply Chain Management and COVID-19
Supply chain management has become invaluable during the past few years. The introduction of COVID-19 has revealed the importance of optimizing supply chain logistics in all industries—but healthcare especially.
Throughout the pandemic, it has remained a central focus to optimize supply chain management to reduce costs and improve patient outcomes. Healthcare Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide can achieve these goals using a leading global post-sales service support partner, like Quest.
Read on to learn more about how Quest uses onshoring to counter the shipping crisis.
Partnering With Quest
While technological advancements have reduced supply chain inefficiencies over the last few years, real operational change is achieved best with a comprehensive review and implementation of a fit-for-purpose logistics overhaul from a third-party logistics provider.
With Quest's experience in forward/reverse logistics and technical services, operational teams can pick and choose the required solution to fill gaps in their supply chain—or outsource it altogether.
Quest can help medical device manufacturers to:
By offering flexible and scalable Service Level Agreements (SLAs), device manufacturers can swap services in or out, and scale up or down, depending on fluctuating business demand.
By leveraging our scalable, global resources, companies can expand their coverage with minimal cost investment. Quest program managers will work with you to devise a supply chain strategy that works best for your organization to manage products and parts with full traceability in compliance with regulatory requirements.
Moreover, our supply chain services dovetail perfectly with our 40 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Quest has the quality systems, tools, knowledge, and footprint to provide end-to-end product support for medical device manufacturers worldwide.
Our Philosophy
Quest's philosophy is to provide flexible, fit-for-purpose solutions that meet clients' current and future health care logistics needs. Our proactive approach and agility allow us to move quickly and are crucial in delivering customized solutions for our clients.
Quest works together with clients on collaborative solutions that benefit the entire value chain to:
Our goal is to help clients achieve optimal supply chain efficiency, exceed customers' expectations, and remain at the forefront of technology, reliability, and quality. Quest is the recognized leader in the repair and maintenance of advanced devices on behalf of medical OEM’s used in hospitals, medical clinics, and laboratories around the world.
Interested in learning more? Read on to learn more about our healthcare services or to understand how to protect healthcare infrastructure from cyber risks.
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