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MEDIA CONTACT: Jeff Van Ness
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CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE SUPPLY CHAIN RESEARCH AND IBM JOINTLY RELEASE WHITE PAPER ON STRATEGIES FOR SHARING AND MANAGING DATA ACROSS THE SUPPLY CHAIN
ARLINGTON, VA – June 8, 2009 – The Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, the nonprofit research foundation of the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA), today jointly released Data Sharing in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: A Series of Case Studies. Case studies with Pfizer, McKesson, Wal-Mart and IBM demonstrate the value of individual serialization in achieving greater efficiency, patient safety and security across the entire supply chain.
As part of an ongoing series of topical white papers, Data Sharing in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain provides an in-depth summary of how IBM supports the Center’s Blueprint for Data Sharing and Data Management in the healthcare supply chain, and the ways in which Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) facilitates the Blueprint vision and makes it an actionable plan. The white paper outlines three levels of data sharing: achieving pedigree compliance through a direct-connect model; extending the direct-connect model for on-demand event visibility; and adding proactive supply chain intelligence and adopting network registries.
“Phased adoption of data sharing with trading partners improves transparency and helps secure the supply chain. Inventory visibility, targeted recall and improved management of returns and chargeback processes are just a few of the improvements,” said Karen J. Ribler Executive Vice President & COO of the Center. “The ultimate result is increased patient safety and business value across the entire supply chain.”
“IBM was an active participant in this research, the results of which we have successfully used with pharmaceutical clients,” said John Krachenfels, solutions executive, pharmaceutical track-and-trace, IBM. “Now that our clients are on their way to becoming compliant with emerging drug pedigree mandates, we’re helping them reap the business benefits that that are enabled through serialization. We support the work the Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research is doing to improve patient safety and increase supply chain efficiency through the IT Blueprint on Data Sharing.”
The Center’s Blueprint has provided the industry with an IT roadmap that supports the use of industry-wide standards to address regulatory compliance and enables collaboration for a more efficient, secure supply chain. The Blueprint recommends a phased approach to data sharing, based upon a strong foundation of standards, synchronized master data and trading partner agreements that promote shared benefits.
The Data Sharing in the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain: A Series of Case Studies white paper is available for downloading at the Center’s Web site at www.HCSupplyChainResearch.org. Additional Center white papers, including the SAP Support of the Healthcare Supply Chain’s Ongoing Effort to Ensure Patient Safety and Drive Business Value, and Life Sciences Strategies: A Practical Approach to Healthcare Supply Chain Collaboration, jointly released with Axway, also are available at the Center’s Web site.
About the Center
The Center for Healthcare Supply Chain Research, formerly the HDMA Research and Education Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that serves as the knowledge partner of the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). The Center is committed to serving the healthcare industry by providing research and education specifically focused on priority healthcare supply chain issues. The Center’s mission is twofold: To conduct research and disseminate information that will enhance the knowledgebase, efficiency and effectiveness of the total healthcare supply chain; and to provide thought leadership to further enhance the safety and security of the healthcare supply chain through future focused study and programming.
About HDMA
The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA) is the national association representing primary, full-service healthcare distributors. Each business day, the member companies of HDMA are responsible for ensuring that more than eight million prescription medicines and healthcare products are safely delivered to 145,000 pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, clinics, government and other providers in all 50 states. This essential public health function is provided with tremendous efficiency, saving the nation’s healthcare system nearly $32 billion each year. HDMA and its members are the vital link in the healthcare system, working daily to provide value, remove costs and develop innovative solutions to deliver care safely and effectively. For more information, visit www.HealthcareDistribution.org.
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