Managing the healthcare supply chain for better patient outcomes

LogiMed USA 2019 panel discussion focuses on meeting expectations in the age of The Amazon Effect

Recently we had the opportunity to attend the only event that brings together the entire end-to-end healthcare supply chain, LogiMed USA 2019, in San Diego, California. During the session entitled "Integrating better customer service strategies throughout the supply chain," Kinaxis Vice President of Industry Strategy Raj Aiyar weighed in on the impact the right technology can have on the supply chain when it comes to meeting customer expectations in 2019 and beyond. Joining Aiyar on the panel were supply chain representatives from Johnson & Johnson, GE Healthcare, Dexcom, Owens & Minor and the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health Systems. In a lively discussion, the panelists dove deep into what the healthcare supply chain is doing to meet the needs of its customers in the age of The Amazon Effect.

Reinventing the healthcare supply chain

According to Aiyar, Kinaxis attests to seeing an uptick in interest in the healthcare industry to reinvent supply chain technology.

Raj Aiyar, Vice President of Industry Strategy, Kinaxis[/caption] “A lot of our life sciences customers, be they pharmaceutical, medical device or bio-pharma, define their customers as the hospital or the surgeon/doctor, and in many cases as the patient themselves,” said Aiyar. “The Kinaxis supply chain solution, RapidResponse, helps elevate the experience for that customer. It all starts by helping the manufacturer make confident commitments to customers based on plans that take the latest information into account available from across their entire supply chain network.” Using RapidResponse, healthcare companies can continuously monitor commitments and, using an industry-unique concurrent planning technique, make near real-time supply chain planning decisions to circumvent delays in the supply chain. "This, combined with end-to-end visibility RapidResponse enables, helps healthcare companies maintain and improve on-time and in-full (OTIF) delivery of life-saving devices and medications," added Aiyar. "In turn, this supports the healthcare provider’s goal of ensuring every patient has what they need to maximize patient outcomes." What kind of challenges do you face in your healthcare supply chain? Let us know in the comments below.