What are the latest advancements in technology that are advancing today’s healthcare system’s supply chains? Leonard Gutierrez, Project Manager for Medsphere-HealthLine, provided his take on what’s driving innovation in supply chain management today.

Gutierrez sees data as an essential factor in this equation. As more robust systems operate supply management, the data gathered and analyzed helps guide ordering decisions to save money and ensure the right locations receive the right products when they need them.

“Automating supply chain operations in healthcare can be a challenge to this day,” Gutierrez said.

Moving processes to cloud-based computing is one advancement that excites Gutierrez. This move towards cloud-based operations frees up hospital resources, so they don’t have to manage the back end of the supply-chain system. A cloud-based system removes complexity for hospitals.

“It frees up capital expenditures, because healthcare organizations no longer need to maintain and upgrade certain computer equipment and data storage,” Gutierrez said.

While people are familiar with package tracking, today’s supply chain technologies allow for package tracking from a healthcare’s receiving area through department delivery. This type of advancement can save departments money in lost/misplaced packages.

And improved technologies also offer ways for large healthcare networks to access inventory across multiple hospitals, better utilize the inventory they have and reduce unnecessary ordering.

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