Question

Compare and contrast supple chain management in different healthcare settings?

Answer 1

Healthcare supply chain management is the regulation of the flow of medical goods and services from manufacturer to patient.Cutting healthcare costs has become a mantra for many hospitals and physician practices, especially as payers start to tie claims reimbursement amounts to quality and cost performance. Many organizations have looked to the billing and services portion of the revenue cycle for budget decreases, but others have started to examine their healthcare supply chain management.The supply chain generally refers to the resources needed to deliver goods or services to a consumer. In healthcare, managing the supply chain is typically a very complex and fragmented process.

Healthcare supply chain management involves obtaining resources, managing supplies, and delivering goods and services to providers and patients. To complete the process, physical goods and information about medical products and services usually go through a number of independent stakeholders, including manufacturers, insurance companies, hospitals, providers, group purchasing organizations, and several regulatory agencies.

However, by promoting efficiency in the healthcare supply chain, hospitals and physician practices can create substantial cost-reducing opportunities across their organization.