Healthcare Supply Chain Management - Innovation, Resilience, and the Challenge of Global Coverage

Sarah_Wilson

posted on 21 hours ago — updated on 1 second ago

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The healthcare sector faces unique challenges in supply chain management. From ensuring the availability of medical supplies to responding efficiently in critical situations, innovation, resilience, and sustainability have emerged as fundamental pillars. This article delves into how these areas are transforming logistics to ensure equitable access to essential medical supplies both locally and globally.

Author: Cristofer Aranda, Logistics Management Engineer and Director, Association of Logistics Professionals (APLOG)

Resilience as a Core in Healthcare Logistics Management

The healthcare sector operates under standards where supply chain disruptions can have devastating consequences for human lives. The COVID-19 pandemic uniquely exposed the vulnerabilities of traditional logistics systems. With an unprecedented global demand for personal protective equipment (PPE), essential medicines, and vaccines, the challenges far exceeded response capacity in many regions.

Impact of the Pandemic on Healthcare Logistics

During the early months of the pandemic, it was reported that the supply of surgical masks needed to quadruple global capacity to meet minimum needs, according to the WHO. Similarly, essential medicines like analgesics faced shortages in key markets due to production interruptions and international transport restrictions. For instance, a report by the European Association of Hospitals revealed that 65% of hospitals faced critical shortages of PPE at some point in 2020.

Online Source: https://www.americanhhm.com/healthcare-management/healthcare-supply-chain-management-global-coverage

Comprehensive e-book: https://www.americanhhm.com/latest-ebook