Health Care Supply Chain Uncertainty Breeds Risk
Posted 05-20-2010 at 03:55 PM by Albert Fong
At this week’s Midwest Health Care Supply Chain Conference in Indiana, the big theme is one we’re all familiar with: risk amidst uncertainty. Every organization today faces a high level of risk from the surrounding economic conditions to the natural and man-made disasters. And as always, most procrastinate or ignore the risk. But when it comes to the health care supply chain, what we talk about really goes the heart of our well being—each and every one of us.
From the care you receive in a hospital to the medicine you buy at the corner drugstore, imagine if something disrupted that supply chain. Patients would not get the treatment they needed in a timely manner, and the costs would rise significantly. Actually, rising healthcare costs is an issue we face. Back in March, I wrote about how misplaced or missing inventory costs hospitals $52 million a year. Even with the realization of how much money is lost every day, many in the healthcare industry continue with business as usual for one simple reason: thinking and implementing for the long term costs money. Unfortunately, that kind of mentality hinders progressive thinking and future costs will continue to escalate.
If anything, the conference offers a sense of hope since the health care industry is finally paying attention to risk. Now they just have to do something about it.
From the care you receive in a hospital to the medicine you buy at the corner drugstore, imagine if something disrupted that supply chain. Patients would not get the treatment they needed in a timely manner, and the costs would rise significantly. Actually, rising healthcare costs is an issue we face. Back in March, I wrote about how misplaced or missing inventory costs hospitals $52 million a year. Even with the realization of how much money is lost every day, many in the healthcare industry continue with business as usual for one simple reason: thinking and implementing for the long term costs money. Unfortunately, that kind of mentality hinders progressive thinking and future costs will continue to escalate.
If anything, the conference offers a sense of hope since the health care industry is finally paying attention to risk. Now they just have to do something about it.
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