Bigger Than a Supply Chain Breakdown: Why Care Coordination Depends on Expert Logistics

For healthcare providers, supply chain woes are a reminder of the havoc that results when a single element of a trusted delivery model breaks down. From shortages of milk and canned goods to challenges finding athletic shoes, large children’s toys and more, consumers across the country have been experiencing the impact of disruptions in supply chain logistics. For healthcare providers, supply chain woes are a reminder of the havoc that results when a single element of a trusted delivery model breaks down.

But there’s an important difference between the logistics of supply chain and healthcare delivery: While a global shortage of computer chips can cause bottlenecks in production shutdowns of automobiles, computers and more, in healthcare, a break in the chain causes bottlenecks in the delivery of care, putting lives at risk.

We take for granted that healthcare will be available when we need it, where we need it. Covid-19 gave us a greater appreciation for the pressures providers face in meeting their communities’ healthcare needs on demand, especially during a crisis. But there is still much we must learn about what it takes to put a well-coordinated care experience from diagnosis through treatment into motion.