Globally there is an increasing amount of knowledge and experience being published and shared regarding supply chains in general and health supply chains specifically. This is the first ‘IAPHL quarterly supply chain resource review’. We have consulted a number of SCM information repositories, academic, private sector, and SCM experts to select for you the following resources that we hope will inform you, challenge you, and keep you thinking how you can improve your own practice and the productivity of the supply chain you work in. Please let us know if you found this first issue helpful.
1. Three videos to provide you SCM insights from the private sector:
The issues discussed in these videos concern the private sector but can be directly applied to health supply chains:
I. Getting a Focus on Supply-Chain Visibility: Are companies really “seeing” their supply chains? Adam Compain, founder and chief executive officer of ClearMetal, Inc., traces the progress of supply-chain visibility.
II. What Is End-to-End Supply Chain Integration?: A new research paper from the Global Supply Chain Institute at the University of Tennessee investigates the progress of companies toward achieving end-to-end supply-chain integration. Director Michael Burnette explains.
III. Getting Into the Mindset of Risk Management: When it comes to responding to risk, companies often experience a disconnect between the executive suite and frontline employees. Steven Carnovale, assistant professor of supply chain management at the Rochester Institute of Technology, offers some tips on how to avoid falling into that trap.
2. Article and video: The 4th Industrial revolution the next big thing to impact supply chains
An article earlier last month from The Wall Street Journal tells us we are in the midst of the next industrial revolution, the fourth of its kind, as predicted by Klaus Schwab in 2016 during the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. Schwab sees as part of this revolution “emerging technology breakthroughs” in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, the Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, quantum computing and nanotechnology.[4] The fourth wave of the industrial revolution is expected to see the heavy implementation of several emerging technologies with a high potential of disruptive effects. [5] It is expected that accelerated use of these technologies will change supply chains dramatically. Some medicines can now be made by 3D Printers and 3D printing of medical devices is well underway.
3. Case study: Accelerating Measurement within Impact Investing: Five Critical Lessons
A new case study, authored by William Davison Institute’s Performance Measurement Initiative (PMI) team, gives advice to impact investors and investees on new and emerging methods to strengthen their impact measurement practices. The case tracks the WDI team as it pilot-tested a new impact measurement framework with three social enterprises in Nicaragua, Brazil and Peru. The case also provides recommendations to improve the impact measurement practices of investors, as well as the enterprises they support.
4. Tools: Forlab and LabEQIP software tools recently updated
GHSC-PSM has recently updated the background descriptions and download links on the GHSC-PSM website
The ForLab Quantification tool is an open source data solution that helps users develop multi-method forecasts of laboratory commodities in support of national quantifications, among other features.
The Laboratory Efficiency and Quality Improvement Planning (LabEQIP) tool is a GIS-based solution that helps improve laboratory network efficiency and advance quality service delivery through data-driven optimization.
5. Resource: People that Deliver publishes Human Resources for Supply Chain Management ToC
The Human Resources for Supply Chain Management Theory of Change (HR4SCM ToC) provides a useful basis for strategic planning, by providing a foundation for developing strategies to manage the quantity, type, and capacity of human resources required to operate health supply chains. The HR4SCM TOC analyzes the conditions needed to ensure that workers at every level are performing optimally, in order to fulfill all the necessary functions of an effective SC system.
6. Report: Increasing Access to Health Products in the DRC: Creating a more efficient, effective and resilient supply chain with the Next Generation Supply Chain Initiative
VillageReach recently published a report that describes how five pillars of supply chain transformation increased access to health products in Equateur province, DRC.
7. Four journal articles providing more in depth analysis of country based SCM challenges:
I. Improving Prompt Access to Malaria Diagnostics and Treatment in Rural Remote Areas Using Financial Benefit for Community Health Workers in Kilosa District, Tanzania Daudi Omari Simba, Deodatus Kakoko, Tumaini Nyamhanga et al. Res Rep Trop Med. 2018; 9: 137–146. Published online 2018 Oct 18. doi: 10.2147/RRTM.S172944
Improving access to malaria treatment in rural remote areas remains a major challenge facing innovative strategies, such as Accredited Drug Dispensing Outlets (ADDOs) and Community Health Workers (CHWs) programs in Tanzania. This study tested the effectiveness of a financial benefit approach to motivate CHWs to improve prompt access to malaria treatment.
II. Drug shortages in Saudi Arabia: Root Causes and Recommendations Yazed S. Alruthia, Monira Alwhaibi, Mashal F. Alotaibi et al.Saudi Pharm J. 2018 Nov; 26(7): 947–951. Published online 2018 May 12. doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2018.05.002
Drug shortages are a multifaceted problem that has been recurring in Saudi Arabia over the past decade with its significant negative impact on patient care. Recently, the Pharmacy Education Unit at King Saud University College of Pharmacy has called for a meeting with multiple stakeholders from academia, pharmaceutical care, pharmaceutical industry, purchasing and planning, and regulatory bodies to unveil the root domestic causes of the drug shortages in the Kingdom.
III. 100 Years of Medical Countermeasures and Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Barbara J. Jester, Timothy M. Uyeki, Anita Patel et al. Am J Public Health. 2018 Nov; 108(11): 1469–1472. Published online 2018 Nov. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2018.304586
Over the past 100 years, improvements in medical care, influenza vaccines, antiviral medications, community mitigation efforts, diagnosis, and communications have improved pandemic response. A number of gaps remain, including vaccines that are more rapidly manufactured, antiviral drugs that are more effective and available, and better respiratory protective devices.
IV. Expanding Global Access to Essential Medicines: Investment Priorities for Sustainably Strengthening Medical Product Regulatory Systems Lukas Roth, Daniel Bempong, Joseph B. Babigumira, et al.
Global Health. 2018; 14: 102. Published online 2018 Nov 1. doi: 10.1186/s12992-018-0421-2
National regulatory authorities are the key government institutions that promote access to quality-assured medicines and combat SF medical products but despite progress, regulatory capacity in LMICs is still insufficient. Continued and increased investment in regulatory system strengthening (RSS) is needed.
This review was compiled for IAPHL by the USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program-Procurement and Supply Management (GHSC-PSM) project. GHSC-PSM connects technical solutions and proven commercial processes to promote efficient and cost-effective health supply chains worldwide. For more information, contact:
Dr. Andrew N. Brown
Workforce Development Specialist
Team Lead for: Workforce Development and Enabling Environment
Contractor for USAID Global Health Supply Chain Program
Procurement and Supply Management
m:+1.571.665.8319 +61.411.137.625
e: abrown@ghsc-psm.org
Skype: andrew.brown.uc