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Health

Supply Chain

October 5, 2020

A resilient supply chain is at the heart of the new future of healthcare. Yet COVID-19 revealed that today’s healthcare supply chains are far from resilient. Too many are challenged by supply shortages, poor visibility, antiquated technology and unreliable suppliers.

To compete in the new future, healthcare providers must move beyond these limitations and reimagine the supply chain to support patients, frontline healthcare workers and the business. This transformation requires swift action in three key areas.

1. Bend the cost curve

Manage all third-party spend to address immediate financial challenges and reset end-to-end costs for the new healthcare environment.

Zero-based supply chain accelerates recovery

This report explores how applying a zero-based lens across the supply chain shifts cost curves and boosts performance for new business value.

READ

2. Build an intelligent supply chain

Achieve total visibility of supply and demand by using analytics to continually anticipate needs and respond with foresight, speed, efficiency and flexibility.

Healthcare company reimagined its supply chain

This is the story of Accenture’s work with a medical technology company that boosted agility and responsiveness through technology-led innovation.

READ

3. Create new supply chains for a new health world

Build and manage future-ready supply chains that reflect the rapidly evolving ways that healthcare services are being delivered—such as virtual health and home health.

Ventilator production for unprecedented demand

This is the story of how the VentilatorChallenge UK consortium pooled resources to produce and deliver ventilators for hospitals.

READ

The now, next and future

In each of these areas, healthcare organizations must plan and sequence actions to strike the right balance between addressing pressing needs and laying the foundation for change over time.

Now—stabilize the situation

Bend the cost curve

Apply zero-based spend and rapid procurement efforts to cut non-essential third-party spend, reduce prices and improve working capital.

Build an intelligent supply chain

Tap into ecosystems and use tools to identify inventory gaps and supply options to prepare for the ramp-up of elective demand.

Create new supply chains

Assess immediate supply and demand risk and operational impacts through the lens of the new health environment.

Next—build the foundation

Bend the cost curve

Expand zero-based capabilities to the full supply chain and operations to further reduce costs and improve productivity.

Build an intelligent supply chain

Pinpoint availability and visibility breakdowns and determine what digital tools should be used to mitigate them.

Create new supply chains

Evaluate future demand for clinical services in the new environment and reset the who, what and where of operations and material supplies.

New future—play the long game

Bend the cost curve

Continue to address cash and financial disruption and invest in automating operations and supply capabilities.

Build an intelligent supply chain

Monitor changing supply and demand risks to enhance supply chain resiliency with a clear understanding of what the path to rebound looks like.

Create new supply chains

Keep your finger on the pulse of industry change to align operations with the risks opportunities in health’s new future.

Meet the team

John Walko

Managing Director – Health and Public Service, Supply Chain and Operations, Management Consulting
LinkedIn

Mark Olney

Managing Director – Health and Public Service, Supply Chain
LinkedIn

Related capabilities

Operational transformation

Preparing your health organization for waves of disruption today and into tomorrow.

Healthcare consulting

Enabling healthcare enterprises to adopt an agile mindset to deliver future-ready care at the speed of life.
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