There are many new terms that have popped up within the last few months that I wish I’d never heard:
- COVID-19
- Coronavirus
- New normal
- Zoom
- PPE shortages
- Testing
- Antibodies
I am a self-diagnosed news junkie, but I’ve had enough. It’s all I can do to watch anything on television. I still read two newspapers a day, but even that is hard for me to do lately.
I worry about the headlines as we continue into this new space with COVID-19. I worry we will have finger pointing at what could we have done, what we should have done, and what we didn’t do.
Honestly, that’s all too simple. I refuse to be pulled into those conversations. Instead, I will share with you three themes that will help our U.S. healthcare supply chain going forward to be in the best shape it can be to serve our nation’s patients:
- The way hospitals’ demand plan for product doesn’t work and will have to change. We will see a best-in-class model emerge that is data driven, and hospitals will be within best practices or they will be outside of best practices.
- Responsible sourcing in the future will be the new standard. Hospitals will have visibility of their supplier’s supply chain, including all the supplier’s raw materials, work-in-progress, finished goods, and in-transit inventory.
- Distribution will be coveted again as a vital and valuable link in the supply chain. The days of commoditizing distributors are over!
You will see more of these themes from us in this new space. Stay safe, be well and thank you for all you do!
Thank you for reading this issue of The Journal of Healthcare Contracting!
John Pritchard