systems to break free from being tied to a single carrier and instead choose the carrier that offers the best rates and delivery times. The solution provides real-time visibility into the status of shipments, allowing for proactive decision-making and reduced disruption risks. By leveraging freight data and analytics, hos- pitals and health systems can identify oppor- tunities for cost savings, improve supplier compliance, and optimize freight expenses. The automation of allocation, seamless invoicing, and supplier relations support further stream- line operations and save time. “In terms of outbound shipping and track-
ing, VPL provides a carrier-agnostic solution that grants them the flexibility to select from multiple carriers and couriers. Again, ensuring access to the best rates and delivery options available. The solution is designed with tailored workflows to address the specific needs of outpatient pharmacy operations to enhance efficiency and compliance. With VPL’s solution, healthcare organizations gain greater con- trol, choice, and tracking capabilities for their outbound shipments, facilitating improved management of growing requirements in spe- cialty pharmacy, pathology, and healthcare- at-home settings. “Real-time inbound visibility is another critical aspect of VPL’s offerings. The track- and-trace functionality provides visibility into inbound shipments, allowing health systems to monitor the status of orders and anticipate the volume of packages arriving at their receiving dock. This information helps optimize staffing and space planning, thus enhancing opera- tional efficiency. Proactive notifications and search functionalities enable effective com- munication and coordination between buyers and clinicians, reducing procedure delays, and improving overall patient care. “Last but not least, VPL equips healthcare
organizations with powerful analytics and data visualization capabilities, providing action- able insights for cost savings and performance improvement. Real-time access to compre- hensive dashboards allows organizations to identify areas of improvement across various aspects of the supply chain. These insights encompass inbound freight management savings, outbound shipping and shipper per- formance, supplier compliance and fees, med- ication distribution compliance, and carrier surcharges and performance. By leveraging these insights, health systems can pinpoint areas for optimization, track their progress, and make informed decisions to drive ongoing cost efficiency and performance improvement.”
Tom Redding, St. Onge Co.
“Healthcare providers will need to think beyond the price of the product and under- stand the total of cost purchasing a product. Unfortunately, the freight/shipping costs are not always known to the healthcare provider
since they are many times embedded in the cost of the product. Too often, healthcare providers do not proactively manage their operation and it leads to expedited freight costs, including shipping costs associated with product returns for product recalls, product damage, and product expiration. Healthcare providers will need to drive their suppliers to bring more visibility to the shipping costs when it comes to the frequency of delivery, shipping mode, and any specific packaging requirements to truly impact their freight/ shipping costs.”
Mark Speight, Caduceus Medical Logistics
“While direct cost savings are undoubtedly important, based on my 20+ years of experi- ence, I firmly believe that same-day logistics can significantly impact both system oper- ations and patient outcomes, for better or worse. Same-day logistics plays a critical role, acting as the circulatory system of a hospital. Just as blood is vital to an organ, timely cargo delivery is crucial, as any delays can have severe consequences, costing both tears and treasure. “Conversely, delivering excellent same-day
service can empower the healthcare system with new opportunities and enhanced patient care options. In various systems, we have supported hospital-to-home operations by ensuring patients receive timely lab results from visiting nurses, home infusion supplies, and pharmaceuticals. This kind of capillary perfusion, so to speak, enables efficient and effective care beyond the hospital walls. “Additionally, speed is of the essence in
our operations. We frequently handle urgent deliveries of life-saving pharmaceuticals, critical supplies, and medical devices. These deliveries may be of the utmost urgency, such as when a patient is on the operating table or when they have only 45 minutes’ worth of respiratory medicine remaining. By offering healthcare providers the capability to meet such time-sensitive demands, we provide them with valuable options that I believe have a substantial and positive impact on patient outcomes.”
Norman Brouillette, Ryder System
“The pandemic isn’t the first major supply chain disruption for the healthcare industry, nor will it be the last. So with many healthcare organizations still vulnerable to disruption, I tell them, ‘The time to transform your supply chain for future resilience is now.’ We can help other healthcare networks gain control of their supply chains, while also lowering costs and improving patient care. It’s really about leveraging what Ryder already does best, like our proprietary visibility and collaboration technology, analytics and business intelli- gence, our data scientists, logistics engineers, and our expertise and scale.
PRODUCTS & SERVICES “For healthcare organizations looking for
advice on where to start, I’d say start by break- ing down the issues contributing to the vulner- ability of your supply chain to uncover the root causes. Ensure you have the support of top leaders of the organization. And, then partner with a reliable third-party logistics provider like Ryder that can provide you with a fully integrated solution that includes expertise, technology, engineering and design, warehous- ing management, transportation solutions, labor, and continuous improvement.”
Ron Devitt, DeSpir
“Incentives for following the protocols and contingency plans with known carriers include better and more consistent patient outcomes, reduced loss and risk, and faster (real-time) responses for products that have been com- promised in transit.”
Cory Turner, Tecsys
“To encourage healthcare organizations to prioritize freight/shipping management and improve efficiency, a Consolidated Services Center (CSC) theme can be implemented. Key strategies include centralizing freight management, fostering collaborative part- nerships, integrating technology, providing performance-based incentives, offering education and training programs, promoting sustainability, and utilizing data analytics for continuous improvement. These approaches aim to streamline processes, optimize routes, reduce costs, enhance visibility, and align with environmental goals. By adopting this theme, healthcare organizations can make effective and efficient use of freight/shipping services and improve their overall supply chain.”
Jake Crampton, MedSpeed
“Health systems make investments every day in technology and tools to make their teams more effective and to elevate patient outcomes. Viewing logistics as a cost center inhibits innovation. Conversely, an organi- zation that views same-day logistics as an investment that (done well) can yield tangible returns in the form of quality improvements, patient experience enhancements, and clinical enablement, will be poised for the future. This visionary perspective positions healthcare entities at the vanguard of progress, enabling them to seize opportunities, overcome chal- lenges, and establish a sustainable foundation for long-term success.” HPN
There’s more to read online:
Drones may fulfill future, next-generation delivery, freight, shipping services on smaller scale:
https://hpnonline.com/53065346
Solving freight, shipping pain points need not hurt … too much:
https://hpnonline.com/53065352
hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • August 2023 37
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