Australia’s growing and aging population continues to generate increasing demand for healthcare services. To meet this demand, it is essential for healthcare facilities to efficiently use the resources available to them. This is especially important for large healthcare facilities which typically face complex logistical challenges to ensure, consumables are available where required, equipment is commissioned and maintained, and the right workforce with the right skills is available and efficiently used.
Typical areas of opportunity for healthcare facilities include:
PPE and other centralised consumables management
Equipment commissioning and maintenance
Workforce management
The COVID-19 pandemic has put additional pressure on Australia’s healthcare system. The consequences of this can be seen with supply shortages in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), which can be managed through the points raised above. In the medium to long term healthcare facilities will be faced with pressure to clear the build-up in elective surgery waiting lists, potential budgetary restraints, and potential increase in demand due to delays in patients seeking medical attention during the pandemic. It will be essential for healthcare facilities to safely and efficiently use the resources they have at their disposal to maximise outcomes for their patients.
GRA can help with improvements to consumables and equipment management, workforce operational efficiency with the following service offerings:
Further resources
Video
GRA has been working closely with the primary care and hospital networks as well as in-home services and aged care sectors during the COVID-19 crisis.
In this video Carter McNabb, James Allt-Graham and Shanaka Jayasinghe discuss what we are seeing within these organisations from a supply chain perspective.
We also explore what these organisations need to do moving forward to strengthen their supply chain and service chain functions.
Key points:
Healthcare Sector
In-home Services and Aged Care
Before COVID-19 Australia’s Aged Care sector was going through a step-change following a Royal Commission that was critical of the sector. The Government has since been pushing for in-home care over facility care. The sector has since had the added pressure the comes with COVID-19 such as balancing visitations, managing demand for PPE and the need for transparency.
The supply chain in the Aged Care sector is a service chain involving the distribution of people – ie getting the right people in the right place at the right time.
The greatest logistical challenges facing the sector is around operating processes involving people and technology. Policies such as the customer value proposition and the employee value proposition must be well understood before embarking on a technological transformation.
Whitepapers
COVID-19: Australian Health Services Supply chain - Personal Protective Equipment
Personal Protective Equipment and Medical Devices Supply Chain
Are you a health care professional concerned about your supply chain?
COVID 19 is having an unprecedented impact on supply chains with rapid changes in demand profiles, supplier capabilities, inventory levels, pressure on network infrastructure and supply chain teams. The need to identify risks and opportunities quickly and act rapidly is essential. GRA is here to help you with your supply chain now, throughout this difficult time and into the future.
We understand your supply chain teams are likely to be under great pressure.
We are here to help.
Download COVID 19: Australian Health Services Supply chain - Personal Protective Equipment
COVID-19: Australian Health Services Supply Chain - Vaccine Supply Chains
Globally, the world is watching in anticipation and hope for news of a vaccine. How long will it take to discover & distribute a COVID-19 vaccine to end-users?
Australian public & private industry is currently working tirelessly to discover a safe and applicable vaccine for COVID-19.
Once a vaccine is available, how will it be distributed and what infrastructure and transport relationships will be leveraged?
Vaccine supply chains are complex, with multiple nodes, participants and logistical dependencies.
GRA has developed a Vaccine Supply Chain response program.
Download GRA's Vaccine Supply Chains services brochure.
Personally, it has been a really positive experience to work with GRA and I know that the 7-Eleven team shares the same feeling. A special thanks to Nathan with his technical and business skills and his attitude towards continuous improvement.
– Didier Vaillant, Supply Planning Manager, 7-Eleven