A NEW PLATFORM AS THE REMEDY
warehouses also are adopting robotics, IoT, and work ow automation to handle routine tasks as a way to offset the labor crisis. Warehouse robots can unload, store, pick, and ll orders, interfacing automatically with warehouse inventory systems so they can perform item counts and oor locations accurately and in real time. Warehouse work ow automation also helps human workers reduce strain and cut down on injuries. Many warehouse workers are being retrained to leverage warehouse management systems through the use of RFID readers, tablets, smartphones, and headsets. Work ow automation is also improving operations for healthcare companies. “Healthcare organizations can effectively manage inventory and bene t from automated replenishment of critical supplies,” says Oracle’s Miles. “PAR [Periodic Automatic Replacement] management and mobile inventory capabilities help to ensure hospitals always have the supplies they need on hand, when they need them. “These tools also allow teams to manage everything—inventory counting and reordering, stocking inquiries, and sub-inventory transfers—on the go,” she adds. . AI AND RISK MANAGEMENT Today, supply chain risk management is more important than ever as disruptive events have almost become a supply chain fact of life. Any type of disruptive event—from a pandemic to a bridge collapse to severe weather—can jeopardize the delivery of supplies such as pharmaceuticals. As a result, healthcare companies are increasingly turning to predictive AI software to assess their greatest supply chain threats. “These predictive forecasting tools can help identify and prepare for demand, optimal inventory levels and costs, and aid in reducing any disruption a healthcare organization may encounter,” says Epicor’s Carrico. BUILDING ON THE FOUNDATION Managing healthcare supply chains can be a complex and unpredictable task, necessitating new tools, solutions, and methodologies for effective management. Technology also offers a way forward. The foundation is a best-in-class, cloud-based supply chain system that ensures all participants use the same high-quality data. Next, automating work processes and manual operations reduces errors through consistent, repeatable tasks. IoT devices, robotics, and advancements in QR codes and RFID readers further enhance ef ciency and accuracy. Ensuring the integrity and authenticity of pharmaceutical and medical supplies requires unbroken chains of custody, planned responses to supply chain disruptions, and continuous tracking and tracing of shipments. Advanced logistics networks and warehouse systems can provide these capabilities. Healthcare supply chain managers must now decide which technological advancements to adopt to achieve the next level of supply chain evolution. n
EmblemHealth is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health insurers. It has 3.2 million members and an 80-year legacy of serving New York’s communities. When EmblemHealth acquired a hospital network and a for- profit health maintenance organization recently, it inherited a patchwork of systems that ran on dierent platforms. The data between systems wasn’t uniform and information was streaming in from multiple places and sources. As a result, employees were unable to work together on a
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single platform with a single source of data. They managed procurement and invoicing in one system while handling accounting and budgeting in another. Several systems were antiquated and in need of upgrades and employees could not obtain a 360-degree view of the enterprise through reports or analytics. The IT was clearly unsustainable, so EmblemHealth decided to move its supply chain, finance, and HR systems to a cloud- based solution. The company engaged Cognizant as project consultant and selected a suite of cloud-based systems from Oracle, consisting of SCM (supply chain management), ERP (enterprise resource planning), HCM (human capital management), and SPM (sequel plan management). The platform migration took 11 months, but EmblemHealth soon reaped the benefits. “We cut processing times from three days to less than three hours,” says Valentino Daloisio, vice president of finance for EmblemHealth. All employees can now utilize the same information and each of the systems are automated, standardized, and streamlined. EmblemHealth is still in the early stages of its system/ operational transformation, but it expects the migration to cloud-based systems to save as much as $700,000 annually, in addition to IT savings of some 30% over the next five years.
150 Inbound Logistics • July 2024
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