Healthcare supply chains struggle with waste and inefficiency. However, radio-frequency identification technology is changing the game by enabling automated stocking, accurate usage capture, healthcare ecosystem compatibility and robust data analytics.
Here are three ways to build a better healthcare supply chain with RFID technology:
- Focus on reducing waste — Hospitals and medical device manufacturers throw one in five products away because the inventory either expired or mismatched the patients' needs. With an updated data system, healthcare facilities could better track their products moving through the supply chain and be more cognizant of expiration dates to limit the cost of wasted products.
- Boost visibility of inventory — RFID-enabled "smart shelves" can automatically track high-value inventory by scanning the products on the shelves and then sending the information to an inventory management platform that can be accessed by hospitals, manufacturers and distributors. Compared to conventional stock-keeping methods like handheld bar-code scanners of manual paper checklists, RFID scans collect more data and share it more broadly with other systems.
- More precise product tracking — To comply with provisions of the Drug Supply Chain Security Act to maintain product integrity and prevent counterfeiting, logistics professionals in the medical supply chain must implement rigorous systems for tracking shipments. RFID offers precise tracking capabilities that fulfill the FDA's requirement of pinpointing the location of any drug throughout the supply chain down to the individual package level. The technology could boost efficiency by allowing suppliers to track pharmaceuticals and medical devices, fill orders quickly, support cost-savings initiatives, improve inventory control and reduce errors.