Healthcare Supply Chain Technology Powers Vital Feedback Loop

Arruda notes that in the next few years, doctor-rating Web sites will get even more specific, not only about the quality of each physician's care, but also about the selection of products they use. "Similar to Consumer Reports, how well the hospitals do in providing those services and controlling their costs will [determine] whether they get referrals or not, Arruda says.

"That's where it's going, which is a good thing, because overall, it's going to challenge us as providers and to the community to be efficient, to reduce redundancy of services, as well as aligning our clinical pathways of how we provide care," he says.

Support personnel are also being held accountable by the new real-time realities of the supply chain. Management will know exactly how long it takes supplies to travel from the loading dock to the hospital floor. All part of the efficiency healthcare must achieve in this challenging economic environment.

So if you get a chance to make it out to AHRMM, dig into the details of the new healthcare supply chain technology. Expect to see it everywhere in your organization, if it isn't already there.