The demand for healthcare is growing exponentially. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) experts believe that the demand will accelerate through at least 2020. While healthcare providers are facing growing pressure to deliver quality services to their patients, they are facing challenges ensuring they have sufficient medication and medical tools on hand.
Every hospital should take the time to formulate a supply chain strategy for the coming years. Here are some things they will need to consider.
The demand for healthcare is growing exponentially. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) experts believe that the demand will accelerate through at least 2020. While healthcare providers are facing growing pressure to deliver quality services to their patients, they are facing challenges ensuring they have sufficient medication and medical tools on hand.
Every hospital should take the time to formulate a supply chain strategy for the coming years. Here are some things they will need to consider.
Identify Specific Needs
Every hospital administrator will need to come up with a list of supplies that they will need on hand at all times. They will also need to forecast the demand for them, so that they can adequately plan. Here are some of the things they will need to have:
- Important medications
- Appendages
- Syringes
Of course, there are probably hundreds of items that need to be added to this list. You will need to speak with your first line providers and logistics department to come up with a detailed list of everything you need to keep in stock.
Work With Reputable Providers
The growing demand for healthcare may tempt some healthcare providers to cut corners to keep costs low. You need to avoid making this decision, because using subpar supplies can be a recipe for disaster and very expensive lawsuits.
Always do your due diligence when choosing suppliers. Find manufacturers that are committed to developing quality products that your healthcare providers can depend on.
Use a Dependable Distribution Network
You need to make sure that you work with reliable transportation providers to ensure that your products are delivered on time and in good condition. If your facility is regularly having trouble with deliveries, then it is probably time to find a different company to handle your delivery needs. The risk of being unable to serve patients because you don’t have the medication or other supplies you need is far too high.
You may want to find out if the companies you are working with use a transportation logistics company to improve their delivery times. These companies often work with a supply chain provider such as Landstar.
Monitor Changes in Demand
New policies are constantly being enacted to expand healthcare to a larger number of people. The Affordable Care Act has reportedly brought healthcare to 16.9 million people. The American Health Security Act of 2015 is a new bill that has been brought forth by Rep. Jim McDermott to guarantee healthcare to all Americans.
These new healthcare initiatives will continue to fuel demand in the future. You will need to carefully monitor these changes and see how they affect demand for healthcare moving forward.