Faces of the Supply Chain Highlights How People and Technology Power the Healthcare Supply Chain
In the latest series of HDA’s Faces of the Supply Chain, healthcare distribution sector leaders shared their perspectives on what makes the industry unique, how specialty medications are reshaping distribution models and the role of technology in the future of healthcare distribution. The latest videos illustrate how these professionals are constantly adapting to navigate the latest regulatory challenges and deliver timely solutions to supply chain partners and beyond.
Exploring What Makes Healthcare Distribution Unique
From anticipating supply disruptions to solving problems in real time, the healthcare distribution industry approaches challenges head-on. While these challenges can be complex, stakeholders across the industry embrace them as part of what makes the work unique.
Dawson Gamble, Sales Executive, Inmar Intelligence, reflected on the start of his career in distribution, noting “not a single day ... has been the same.”
“What makes [the healthcare distribution industry] unique [is] the challenges it presents,” he added, pointing to the industry’s efforts to come together to tackle new hurdles and regulations. “It’s never a dull moment in the healthcare industry.”
Adapting to Meet the Needs of Patients
What many patients don’t see when they pick up a prescription is the complex delivery infrastructure behind it, including distributors’ innovative, just-in-time inventory model and the risk (and responsibility) involved in delivering medicines safely and quickly. This is particularly true for specialty products like cancer medicines that require unique handling, Ryan O’Neill, Vice President of Operations & Strategy, Summit SD, explained.
“Sometimes you have to take that risk in bad weather to be able to ship that product, even if you risk losing that product, to make sure that patient gets it,” he said. “Our role in the supply chain ultimately affects the patient at the end of the day, even if we don’t see them.”
Advancing Distribution Through Technology and Data
To keep pace with the evolving demands of healthcare innovation, companies continue to embrace and leverage advanced technologies and data-driven solutions. Mark Mynatt, President, DCAA Solutions, Inc, highlighted the opportunity for artificial intelligence to “solve a lot of problems and ... open up new doors.”
“There is this new learning curve where we’re understanding how we can take advantage of data differently than a traditional database,” he added.
HDA’s Faces of the Supply Chain brings to life the people behind the scenes who make the healthcare supply chain work. For more unique perspectives, check out the full series.