Supply chain management (SCM) is a fundamental aspect of the healthcare sector that necessitates strategic material management and distribution systems to reduce costs and improve the efficacy of patient care. In the healthcare industry, supply chain systems guarantee the prompt delivery of medications, surgical equipment, and medical devices to specific locations.
The distribution of medical products results in high-quality patient care in a well-managed value chain. Rising healthcare costs have prompted healthcare providers and manufacturers to make medical services accessible. However, the inherent costs of healthcare supply chains are increasing due to disconnected manual processes, drug counterfeiting, a lack of supply chain visibility, and hidden costs.
The adoption of cloud-based applications has become the new standard across all industries. Many healthcare organizations are currently employing cloud-based supply chain management solutions. Pharmaniaga, Malaysia's largest integrated pharmaceutical group, adopted Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM) in January 2021 in preparation for COVID-19 vaccine distribution in Malaysia. The company required a cloud-based logistics platform to automate manual processes and improve the security and traceability of its cold chain services. Adopting cloud-based information systems in hospital supply chains allows for managing and acquiring data from supply chain partners via the Internet and globally. These factors are predicted to stimulate market growth over the forecast period.
Several factors, including the planning and management of the supply chain for clinical trial materials, contribute to the success of a clinical trial. A clinically integrated supply chain is distinguished by higher quality, less waste, lower costs, and fewer silos, all of which contribute to better patient outcomes. Utilizing clinical evidence permits clinicians and supply chain stakeholders to determine the most cost-effective products that provide the best care.
For instance, the HIMSS Clinically Integrated Supply Outcomes Model (CISOM) assesses the supply chain maturity of global health systems. CISOM is a sophisticated and automated supply chain infrastructure for the health system at the point of service. It can proactively identify adverse event risk factors to enhance patient safety and care quality. Hospitals and health systems can standardize specific products and vendors with this data, allowing for improved contract pricing. These factors are anticipated to generate market expansion opportunities during the forecast period.
North America is the most significant global healthcare supply chain management market shareholder and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 7.86% over the forecast period. This is mainly due to the quick adoption of new technologies entering the market and the participation of the nation's main players. The United States is the primary market for healthcare technologies, as numerous companies offer healthcare technology services, and the country's healthcare system has the largest market share studied. According to a 2017 WTO report, the US is the second-largest exporter of medical products globally, with reported exports of USD 116 billion. As a result of North America's high acceptance and open-mindedness, healthcare facilities are employing and developing a variety of new innovative supply chain technologies. For instance, FedEx was the first major shipping company to implement blockchain technology into its supply chain administration in 2018. All of these factors stimulate regional market expansion.
Europe is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 8.02% over the forecast period. The healthcare sector has witnessed a steady proliferation of supply chain management hardware and software due to the region's comparatively high rate of technological adoption. The aggregate expenditures of the United Kingdom, Spain, France, and Germany on healthcare information technology (HCIT) exceed USD 6 billion, and regional adoption is nearly 80%. In addition, the region invests heavily in cloud-based supply chain management software. For example, Jump Technologies has developed a cloud-based software solution called JumpStock that integrates with EMR, ERP, or scheduling systems, allowing hospitals to reduce costs associated with medication stockpiling, physician preference variations, and stock-outs. These solutions boost order management and production planning at every warehouse location. Thus, the increasing adoption of technology, the increased investments in the healthcare supply chain, and the rising supply of medical products are driving the market's growth.
The key players in the global healthcare supply chain management market are Oracle Corporation, Cardinal Health, LogiTag Systems, Arvato Supply Chain Solutions, BlueBin, Blue Yonder Group Inc., Curvolabs, Tecsys Inc, Epicor Software Corporation, Global Healthcare Exchange, Harris Affinity, Hybrent, SAP, and others.