DC Velocity - August 2017

26 DC VELOCITY AUGUST 2017 www.dcvelocity.com t h o ug ht l e a de rs

S C OT T N E LS ON

This is why Cardinal Health is continuing to invest in advanced data capture and analytics that can be integrated with other data platforms for valuable insights that can improve decision-making. A whole new world of opportunities to improve supply chain quality and cost will open up once assets become “smart” across the entire logistics platform.

QWhat do you consider to be the biggest logistics challenge that you’ve faced but were unable to overcome? What were the issues you encountered? What did you learn from the experience?

AGaining good visibility into true demand at the point of care in a hospital is the biggest logistics challenge we haven’t been able to overcome. The healthcare industry has traditionally been slow to invest in technologies that will enable frontline providers to spend less time managing inventory and more time with patients. We recently surveyed more than 400 hospital staff and learned that physicians and nurses currently spend, on average, nearly 20 percent of their workweek on supply chain and inventory management.

There are solutions available that support patient safety,
reduce costs, and improve workflows, providing necessary
data and analytics to optimize supply chain efficiency, but
many healthcare providers have yet to adopt them. Our
survey found that 78 percent of respondents are manually
counting inventory in some parts of their supply chain and
only 17 percent have implemented an auto-
mated technology system to track products
and inventory in real time.

The key learning from this is that we need to help healthcare providers think differently about supply chain and couple the financial and operational improvements with the clinical benefits that follow.

Q Any closing thoughts or comments? AA highly effective supply chain can be a strategic asset and competitive advantage for any healthcare organization. The influence supply chain leaders wield continues to grow—not only in improving service, predictability, and cost but also in developing organizational capabilities and bringing innovative solutions to their customers.

We need to seek out and develop talent that will bring diverse thoughts and experiences into the decision-making process and help us envision a high-performing, reliable supply chain from the bedside and back.

For any industry, SKUs or layout, SpaceRAK® storage rack solutions maximize space and operational efficiency. Our 99% on-time record, two-day Quick Ship for many products and easy-install design can have you ready in no time. Get a quote today.