Industry Insights February Issue 01 2023 10 Best Healthcare Supply Chain Management Companies in 2023 Accumen Laboratory Supply Chain Disruption Continues but Mitigation Strategies Exist Popular Practices Be□er Health and a better way of life. Editor’s Note n an era where the healthcare industry faces Iunprecedented challenges, the efficient management of supply chains has become a critical factor in delivering quality patient care. The healthcare supply chain plays a pivotal role in ensuring that medical facilities have the necessary equipment, pharmaceuticals and resources to meet the ever-growing demands of patients and healthcare providers. This edition showcases the top ten companies that have demonstrated excellence, innovation and resilience in optimizing healthcare supply chains. Our team of experts has extensively evaluated numerous organizations based on various criteria, including their technological advancements, sustainability practices, customer satisfaction, and impact on the industry. The companies featured in this edition have not only excelled in these areas but have also demonstrated their ability to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. Supplying Success: Unveiling the Powerhouses Revolutionizing Healthcare’s Vital Chain These top ten companies have set new benchmarks for supply chain management through their use of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain and data analytics. By harnessing these tools, they have enhanced inventory management, streamlined logistics, reduced costs, and improved overall efficiency. In doing so, these companies have paved the way for a more resilient and agile healthcare system. Additionally, the featured companies have displayed a strong commitment to sustainability. They have implemented environmentally friendly practices, such as waste reduction, energy conservation and responsible sourcing, to minimize their ecological footprint. By prioritizing sustainability, they not only contribute to the well-being of the planet but also set an example for the entire industry. As we celebrate the achievements of these remarkable companies, we also acknowledge the entire healthcare supply chain management sector for its invaluable contributions to the well-being of individuals worldwide. The industry’s tireless efforts to ensure the availability of essential supplies and resources have been instrumental in the fight against various health crises. We hope that this edition of our magazine, ‘10 Best Healthcare Supply Chain Management Companies in 2023’ sheds light on the best practices and innovations in healthcare supply chain management, inspiring further advancements in the field. By recognizing and celebrating these trailblazing companies, we aim to encourage the continuous improvement of supply chain management processes and contribute to a more efficient, sustainable and resilient healthcare system for all. - Saloni Agarwal Blockchain Firm Enhancing Healthcare E□ciency 14 InterLeukin Innovations Inc. Bridging the Supplier-Buyer Gap With Digital Solutions 28 24 Top Five Strategies Optimizing Supply Chain in Healthcare Sector Popular Practices Role of Technology in Transforming the Healthcare Industry Industry Insights 18 Aicl Hungry Children Must Be Fed Nutrition to Save the NHS 22 CXO 08 Accumen Laboratory Supply Chain Disruption Continues but Mitigation Strategies Exist Cov Sty Ctts Copyright © 2023 Insights Success Media and Technology Pvt. Ltd., All rights reserved. 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Phone - India: 7410033802, 8956487823 Email: info@insightscare.com For Subscription: www.insightscare.com We are also available on : Editor-in-Chief Chidiebere Moses Ogbodo Managing Editor Pooja Shah Executive Editor Saloni Agarwal Visualiser David King Art & Design Head Mrunalinee Deshmukh Co-designer Paul Belin Art & Picture Editor Sonia Raizada Business Development Manager Emily Jones Marketing Manager Bill Thompson Business Development Executives Anna Smith, Jack Miller Sales Executives Mike, Carl, John Technical Head Jacob Smile Assistant Technical Head Prashanth Hiremath Technical Consultants David, Robert Digital Marketing Manager Alina Sege Assistant Digital Marketing Manager Sagar Lahigade SME-SMO Executives Gemson Research Analyst Eric Smith Circulation Manager Tanaji Fartade Description Person name Company Name ACCUMEN Inc accumen.com Mr. Brent Bolton Vice President and General Manager of Supply Chain Operations ACCUMEN Inc enables hospitals, health systems, and independent labs to respond to current challenges and even thrive in today’s unpredictable and ever-changing environment. HighJump highjump.com Michael Cornell CEO HighJump is integrating their proven solutions for the warehouse, transportation and logistics ecosystem with emerging technologies – from around our company and around the world – to build the supply chain of the future. Blockchain Firm blockchainfirm.io Salman Parcy Head of Global Business Development Blockchain Firm is delivering enterprise blockchain services and sustainable blockchain solutions globally since 2017. InterLeukin interleukin.co Laila Marquez CEO and Founder InterLeukin is the next level B2B smart sourcing solution connecting international and local medical device companies and medical institutions. LNConsult GmbH lnconsult.at Thomas Mayr CEO LNConsult GmbH is a proven consulting and realization partner for the industrial and retail business. SCWorx scworx.com Tim Hannibal President and CEO SCWorx assists healthcare providers in margin improvement and revenue capture through advanced data management services. Phoenix phoenixglobalgroup.com Athanasios Karagiannis CEO Phoenix is UK's largest long-term savings and retirement business, serving c.13m customers through its consumer brands. StratMed stratmed.com Sameer Khan Founder & CEO StratMed is one of India's largest data-driven, healthcare performance improvement companies. Symbia Logistics symbia.com Megan Smith CEO Symbia Logistics team provides facility-based supply chain support to a variety of industries including aerospace, chemical, dry grocery, health and beauty, industrial goods, kitting, and business-to-consumer fulfillment services. YCH Group ych.com Catherine Yap CEO YCH Group is one of Asia's leading supply chain and logistics conglomerates and partners some of the world’s largest companies and brands in more than 100 cities across Asia Pacific. 10 Best Healthcare Supply Chain Management Companies in 2023 Accumen Laboratory Supply Chain Disruption Continues but Mitigation Strategies Exist Cover Story I’m passionate about supply chain, and the effect that is has on an organization’s ability to support their customers, improve quality and service, and reduce operating costs. Mr. Brent Bolton Vice President and General Manager of Supply Chain Accumen Inc. The global supply chain is extremely volatile. The COVID-19 pandemic created a supply disruption domino effect that nobody could have predicted. Global economists agree there’s no end in sight to the ongoing supply disruptions. These interruptions to product availability affect every industry – healthcare, technology, manufacturing and agriculture. To reduce supply shortages, companies, entrepreneurs, and significant market players are joining technology and research partners to deliver the most cost-effective products to customers. The challenge is how to integrate this into a company’s daily operations. The answer lies in the efficient management of the supply chain, especially in industries where the gap between supply and demand is highly volatile, like in most healthcare organizations. That’s where Accumen Inc. comes in - providing expert solutions to over 1,000 hospitals and 4,000 physician practices and clinics in the U.S. to address complex issues with its strategic and operational lab services, Comprehensive Patient Blood Management (cPBM), and 3D medical post-processing imaging. The company’s service line is guided by its Vice President and General Manager of Supply Chain – Mr. Brent Bolton, who has been in supply chain and strategic sourcing for over 20 years. “I’m passionate about supply chain and the effect that is has on an organization’s ability to support their customers, improve quality and service, and reduce operating costs.” Enabling Accumen in Business Processes Accumen partners with U.S. health systems to assess and implement key operational and clinical transformational changes, focusing primarily on the ancillary services department. As the leading technology-enabled services company, it provides expert analysis and recommendations for key operational and clinical decisions and expands the productivity of provider teams through shared services and managed resources. Brent says, “This process automates and accelerates desired results and places data in the right hands, at the right time through technology-enabled analytics.” Accumen has a wealth of experience and expertise, as well as a strong national network in Lab, Imaging and Patient Blood Management. These are all enabled by extensive operational and clinical data as well as analytic technology solutions. Driving with Passion Brent joined Accumen almost a decade ago when the organization was a start-up with only one healthcare partnership. He shares, “I always wanted to work in healthcare. I knew Accumen was the right fit for me after learning that the organization’s vision was to improve and enhance laboratory operations. This aligned with my experience and personal commitment to creating value in operations and strategic sourcing.” Therefore, he took a risk and left a large manufacturing firm with a robust team to develop the supply chain service line at Accumen from the ground up. Now, because of the dynamic and growing supply chain solution at Accumen, Brent leads a dedicated team of experts nationwide. In addition, during his tenure at Accumen, he has facilitated the company’s extensive growth to more than 50 healthcare partnerships. Offering Laboratory Strategic Sourcing Services The supply chain in healthcare relies heavily on buying groups that are called Group Purchasing Organizations (GPO). GPOs negotiate high-level pricing with supply vendors that utilize a tier-based model for GPO-member health systems. Accumen is unique because it is a third- party intermediary between health systems and supply vendors – providing health system partners with the most The knowledge and experience of Accumen’s supply chain team is unrivaled within the industry. 10 Best Healthcare Supply Chain Management Companies in 2023 aggressive lab pricing, regardless of the organization’s qualifying tiers. Elaborating on this, Brent says, “Our model is different because we have a vested interest in seeing savings come to fruition. We are not compensated unless lab costs are reduced. Because of our trusted relationships with more than 50 health systems, we are constantly negotiating these complex lab agreements for our partners.” Additionally, their supply chain team is an experienced group of lab subject matter experts and medical laboratory scientists. “The knowledge and experience of Accumen’s supply chain team is unrivaled within the industry”, Brent proudly asserts. Bending the Cost Curve Between the supply disruptions and inflation, healthcare costs are skyrocketing. This creates a growing strain on tightening lab budgets and health system profitability. Keeping this in mind, Accumen creates value through its Lab Strategic Sourcing offering. They achieve significant results because of their unique role with health system partnerships, their talented team, national vendor relationships, and extensive market data. I had always wanted to work in healthcare and knew that Accumen was the right □t, after learning that the organization’s vision to improve and enhance laboratory operations aligned with my experience and commitment to operations and strategic sourcing. As part of an Accumen partnership, the team does extensive test menu optimization on existing lab equipment and make vs. buy analyses to determine if testing should be done internally or externally and consistently seek opportunities in reference lab consolidation. “For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, hospital laboratories had to acquire a lot of molecular testing equipment, which had overlapping test menus. As a result, we are currently working with many of our partners to standardize and consolidate molecular testing. Another strategy for reducing costs would be through test utilization management.” Accumen’s nationally recognized Lab Stewardship program partners with clinicians to determine the clinical efficacy of the tests being ordered. He comments, “After all, the best way to reduce a cost is to avoid the expense in the first place. This is not only good for the patient but also for the health system’s bottom line.” When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Gets Going Major supply chain disruptions are generally caused by some sort of constraints like a pandemic, geopolitical event, natural disaster, or major recall. When those disruptions occur, it has a domino effect throughout the supply chain and constrains both supply and labor resources. In supply chain terminology, this is called the Bullwhip effect. The current COVID-19 pandemic is an unfortunate example of this perfect storm. In general, hospital supply chain groups are suffering from staffing shortages. The supply chain team responsible for sourcing lab products is even more impacted because laboratory expenses are such a small portion of the hospital’s total budget. During a crisis, hospital lab sourcing managers are strained more than usual, trying to seek out alternate sources of supply. This reduces their ability to perform proactive lab strategic sourcing. In such situations, Accumen assists in two ways: Ÿ First, their core business is to do lab strategic sourcing. They partner with Lab and Supply Chain departments in health systems to create a long-term roadmap that will ultimately drive cost reductions and increase value for the health system. Ÿ Secondly, they have created a secondary lab distribution network that their clients can utilize. Brent remarks, “We have been developing a vast network of hundreds of regional distributors who are minority/veteran/women-owned businesses that don’t typically sell to hospitals. The distributors might primarily sell to a physician group or some private practitioner. They sell the same products that the hospital lab uses, so we utilize this network as our source for supplies.” These sources are not available to the hospital sourcing agent, so clients benefit by leveraging the Accumen partnership to source any hard-to-find supplies. Enhancing with Clinical Transformation Services In addition to Lab Strategic Sourcing, Accumen also has a robust variety of clinical service line offerings. One of the most successful and impactful is their Comprehensive Patient Blood Management (cPBM) program. For many hospitals, a blood transfusion is the most common inpatient medical procedure. Blood products are also one of the largest line items in a multimillion-dollar laboratory budget. Unfortunately, transfusion practice often varies widely between physicians within a hospital and between hospitals - a variation that is often not explained by differences in patient acuity. Transfusion are frequently used when they are avoidable or inappropriate. Studies show that 40-60 percent of transfusions are unnecessary. Accumen Technology deploys Lab I.T. Consulting to drive standardized and more ef□cient work□ows. It also offers operational analytics that provide real-time performance visibility and actionable insights to support improved transformations within key lab focus areas. Accumen optimizes healthcare through its technology- enabled clinical optimization in relationship to blood management. Accumen’s cPBM program is a patient- centered, systematic, evidence-based approach to improve outcomes by managing and preserving blood, while promoting patient safety. Accumen’s cPBM program deploys two key technologies, PBM Analytics and ® MyBloodHealth that are supported by consulting and education services. Empowering Hospitals Through Technology The Accumen cPBM program would not be successful without robust analytics and software technology. Therefore, as health systems emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a need to accelerate enterprise Lab I.T. Analytics that provide strategies and respond resiliently to future questions. This enables health systems to manage the constant challenges of staffing shortages, regulatory obligations, and ever-increasing standards for quality patient outcomes and physician satisfaction. Sharing deeper insights on this, Brent says, “Accumen Technology Solutions (ATS) deploys Lab I.T. Analytics to drive standardized and more efficient workflows. Our ATS also offers performance analytics that provides real-time visibility and actionable insights to support transformations for key lab focus areas such as Lab Quality and Service, Lab Stewardship, Lab Outreach Excellence, and Lab Productivity.” Strategizing to Mitigate Supply-Chain Risks All current market data suggests that supply chain costs and supply shortages will continue in the foreseeable future. Therefore, all health systems need to immediately review buying practices to ensure they are purchasing from the distributor that provides the most value. Additionally, health systems need to do a thorough analysis of the tests being sent to secondary reference labs and determine what can be processed at the primary reference lab or in-house. Brent affirms that both these strategies would yield immediate cost savings. He suggests that a long-term strategy that generates significant value is through a lab strategic sourcing roadmap. Without a strategic sourcing plan, hospital laboratories will continue to be reactive. For the same purpose, Accumen partners with a health system to create a methodical, long-term, and strategic sourcing roadmap. In doing so, he says, “We identify opportunities for vendor consolidations, cost reductions, test menu optimizations, and the elimination of unnecessary equipment.” Throughout this process, the company gains leverage for future vendor negotiations and reduces unnecessary expenses - thus, saving a patient’s hard-earned money and contributing to the continuous flow of supplies in healthcare. Expanding Upon Laboratory Success Accumen’s implementation of technology solutions, improvement of operational efficiencies, and dramatic cost reductions have made them a trusted partner within the healthcare industry. Because of their success, health system executives are quickly expanding the scope of services for Accumen beyond laboratory strategic sourcing. Brent remarks, “Because of our successful laboratory strategic sourcing partnerships, many of our existing clients have requested that Accumen expand its services into other clinical specialties.” To support this growth, Accumen has acquired talent on its supply chain team and is actively pursuing projects in orthopedic trauma implants, cardiac stents, custom packs and robotics. Their approach to these clinical categories varies from lab because physician preferences heavily drive them, and they work closely with the clinical team to standardize supplies, leverage vendor volumes and implement change. The Future of Healthcare When Brent’s journey with Accumen started almost a decade ago, he envisioned an organization that would partner with health systems throughout the country to implement process improvements, reduce supply and operational costs, and improve patient care. Brent is thrilled to see his vision has come to reality, and that Accumen has grown from a start-up company to the most nationally recognized healthcare performance improvement partner in the U.S. He is confident that the next decade will bring additional success for Accumen clients and is excited for what’s ahead. Salman Parcy Head of Global Business Development Blockchain Firm Enhancing Healthcare Ef□ciency Blockchain technology has helped ease the processes and lessen the burden in the healthcare sector. Blockchain has the ability to reduce the current spending bubble, protect patients’ data, keep a real-time track of the activities, and fulfil the crucial needs of the healthcare industry. It also enhances the primary operations and enables reliability, ensuring prompt functioning of the businesses. With an aim and vision of enhancing the traditional business processes, Blockchain Firm provides enterprise blockchain development services and solutions for various industries, focusing primarily on the healthcare sector. Being one of the few early adopters of blockchain technology, its ultimate goal is to help all enterprises and organizations adopt blockchain into their businesses. Under the visionary leadership of the Head of Global Business Development, Salman Parcy, Blockchain Firmenables transparency and security to business processes using blockchain technology towards an absolute betterment of their clients in the industry. The Prologue Established in 2017, Blockchain Firm provides enterprise blockchain development services and solutions for various industries, with a strong focus on the healthcare space. Being one of the few early adopters of blockchain technology, its ultimate goal is to help all enterprises and organizations adopt blockchain into their businesses. Salman states that the company understands business processes like no other and helps transform its client’s ideas into reality with innovation and creativity. He virtuously believes that “instead of making clients, businesses should make partners who have mutually benefiting vision and strive towards a common goal.” A Visionary Leadership Salman Parcy, the Head of Global Business Development at Blockchain Firm, leads the business, marketing and branding teams across the company’s global offices. He believed that the sea of opportunities and optimistic scope of growth comes with technological advancement. This inspired him to set the company’s vision in motion. And now, he is on the mission to venture blockchain technology into every industry possible. Salman believes, “I have a strong thought in mind - as a leader, every word you speak will be analysed, every action you do will be followed, and every standard you have will be set. So, I make myself a visionary, thoughtful, entertaining, and the most assertive person.” Advancing the Healthcare Supply Management The company has a collective suite of blockchain services tailor-made and delivered for enterprises and organizations 10 Best Healthcare Supply Chain Management Companies in 2023 15 February 2023 www.insightscare.com according to their business requirements. When a business owner approaches the company with an idea, it dedicates itself to understanding the concept in-depth and drafting a feasibility study. After there is a mutual agreement on the study, then they move forward. And if there’s room for improvement, the company will be adding its ideas too. Salman states, “We do this because we ought to give our clients the best services possible.” The healthcare industry is one of the primary industries that require advanced technology integration. Blockchain is a powerful and advanced technology that offers many benefits for healthcare. Since the company is a pioneer in blockchain, Salman thought of an idea. “Instead of just digitizing the existing systems, we focus on creating a healthcare ecosystem with a unified portal that provides easy access and connects all participants digitally.” This ecosystem could serve end-to-end purposes - right from acquiring the patients to storing patients’ records as electronic records, connecting patients with doctors/surgeons, keeping real-time track of the activities, monitoring the drug supply chain, streamlining the pharma, and more. Aligning Offerings with the Latest Technologies The healthcare industry is one of the significant sectors that got disrupted majorly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire world faced a lot of struggles to send and receive medicines, essentials, and other things. To prevent this in the future and create a better healthcare supply chain system, Blockchain Firm might consider analysing the existing models that deal with healthcare and the potential implications of technologies. Further, while speaking of the latest technological advancements, Salman asserted, “Introducing blockchain technology to the healthcare industry is the best and most modernistic solution we can do to achieve transparency, traceability, security and operational excellence.” Post-pandemic Era There have been various advancements in the healthcare industry post the COVID-19 pandemic. Many healthcare companies have already begun to digitize their services and secure their records efficiently. It could be much better if blockchain technology is integrated into their systems. As said earlier by Salman, “To make the future ours, our idea is to create a healthcare ecosystem that connects patients, hospitals, doctors, pharmacies, labs, and other healthcare participants.” An Advice to Remember Salman believes that the chase to bring a positive change is crucial for the new generation. The youth should deeply ponder on changing the formulaic concepts and work on building a broader perspective of the invention. The audacity to choose unfamiliar roads and having the fire to chase their dreams should be the mantra for youth. As the younger generation strives to achieve more, they should leverage this awareness to become strong and perfect decision-makers. Futuristic Approach Salman asserts, "We are stepping into the most advanced concept to date - Metaverse, this year. We already have a community of more than 200 members traversing across multiple locations, which is set to double within a year." Furthermore, the company is also indulging in a continuous process of experimenting with advanced technologies this year. The company has a collective suite of blockchain services tailor-made and delivered for enterprises and organizations according to their business requirements. 16 February 2023 www.insightscare.com Hea thcare Role of Industry Transforming the in echnology has been transforming the healthcare Tindustry for years, and its impact is only going to increase in the future. The healthcare industry is facing many challenges, such as rising costs, an aging population, and a shortage of healthcare professionals. Technology has the potential to address these challenges and transform the industry. The integration of technology in the healthcare industry has already begun to revolutionize patient care, operational efficiency and healthcare delivery. From electronic health records and telemedicine to artificial intelligence and robotics, technological advancements are enabling healthcare organizations to streamline processes, enhance diagnostics, and improve patient outcomes. This article will explore the role of technology in transforming the healthcare industry and provide industry insights into the future of healthcare. The Need for Technology in Healthcare The healthcare industry is facing many challenges, such as rising costs, an aging population, and a shortage of healthcare professionals. Technology has the potential to address these challenges and transform the industry. The following are some of the ways in which technology can transform the healthcare industry. Ÿ Improved retrieval of Medical Information and Data: The ability to store and retrieve data has been one of the most significant benefits of the digital revolution. Healthcare providers may now access patient data from anywhere. Furthermore, the intranet and internet have Industry Insights 18 February 2023 www.insightscare.com 19 February 2023 www.insightscare.com enabled healthcare practitioners to quickly communicate medical information with one another, leading to more efficient patient care. Ÿ Big Data: Big data has the potential to transform the healthcare industry. It can be used to identify patterns and trends in patient data, which can be used to improve patient care. Big data can also be used to identify high- risk patients and provide them with the necessary care. Ÿ Telemedicine: Telemedicine is the use of technology to provide healthcare services remotely. It has the potential to address the shortage of healthcare professionals and improve access to healthcare services. Telemedicine can be used to provide remote consultations, monitor patients remotely, and provide remote care. Ÿ Wearable Technology: Wearable technology has the potential to transform the healthcare industry. It can be used to monitor patients remotely and provide them with the necessary care. Wearable technology can also be used to track patient data and provide insights into patient health. Ÿ Artificial Intelligence: Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the healthcare industry. It can be used to identify patterns and trends in patient data, which can be used to improve patient care. Artificial intelligence can also be used to identify high-risk patients and provide them with the necessary care. Industry Insights The healthcare industry is undergoing a digital transformation, and technology is playing a significant role in this transformation. The following are some of the industry insights into the future of healthcare. Ÿ Digital Transformation: Improving healthcare and strengthening customer interactions need digital transformation. It is more than simply technological investments; it leads to changes in organizational culture and employee engagement. Many great health systems are embracing six fundamental ideas to go forward digitally: Ÿ Focus on the customer Ÿ Create a digital culture Ÿ Build a digital workforce Ÿ Embrace data and analytics Ÿ Create a digital ecosystem Ÿ Invest in digital technology Ÿ Patient-Centric Care: Patient-centric care is the future of healthcare. Patients are becoming more involved in their healthcare decisions, and technology is empowering them to take control of their health. The future of healthcare needs to be more patient-centric to provide patients with the necessary care. Ÿ Virtual Care: Virtual care is the future of healthcare. It has the potential to address the shortage of healthcare professionals and improve access to healthcare services. Virtual care can be used to provide remote consultations, monitor patients remotely, and provide remote care. Ÿ Personalized Medicine: Personalized medicine is the future of healthcare. It has the potential to transform the healthcare industry by providing patients with personalized care. Personalized medicine can be used to identify high-risk patients and provide them with the necessary care. Ÿ Data Analytics: Data analytics is the future of healthcare. It has the potential to transform the healthcare industry by providing insights into patient health. Data analytics can be used to identify patterns and trends in patient data, which can be used to improve patient care. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, the integration of technology will be imperative for its future success. However, it is crucial to address concerns such as data privacy, security, and ethical considerations when implementing technological solutions. Striking the right balance between the human touch and technological advancements is essential to ensure that patients receive compassionate and personalized care while benefiting from the potential of technology. Technology has the potential to transform the healthcare industry and address the challenges it is facing. The healthcare industry needs to embrace digital transformation to improve healthcare and strengthen customer relationships. The future of healthcare needs to be more patient-centric to provide patients with the necessary care. Virtual care, personalized medicine and data analytics are the future of healthcare. The healthcare industry needs to embrace these technologies to transform the industry and improve patient care. - Saloni Agarwal 20 February 2023 www.insightscare.com Subscribe Today Stay in touch. Subscribe to Insightscare Get Insightssuccess Magazine in print, & digital on www.insightscare.com Never Miss An Issue Corporate Office Insights Success Media Tech LLC 555 Metro Place North, Suite 100, Dublin,OH 43017, United States Phone - (614)-602 - 1754,(302)-319-9947 Email: info@insightscare.com For Subscription : www.insightscare.com Check should be drawn in favor of : INSIGHTS SUCCESS MEDIA TECH LLC www.insightscare.com Hungry Children Must Be Fed Nutrition to Save the NHS s food prices soar in Britain, thousands are Astruggling to feed themselves and their families. The cost-of-living crisis in the UK has meant that many children of low-income families are eating cheaper food, smaller portions and sometimes sleeping hungry. Food charities, food banks and other helplines are inundated with queries related to the regular supply of food. London-based food charity The Akshaya Patra Foundation UK (TAPF), reports a 15% increase in enquiries since August 2022, just after they concluded their summer food service when they offered over 70,000 meals in various holiday clubs in London. The beneficiaries are mostly children from low-income families. 8-year-old Prodip Kumar (name-changed), a student at Dormers Wells School in Ealing in West London is fidgety. He looks anxious for a break at school. On the other side of the break is a hot meal, filled with cheese and vegetables, awaiting him. “My name is Prodip, I am 8 years old. My favorite meal is mac and cheese. It is tasty and full of flavor. When I eat food, it makes me feel full. And I want to eat more.” The meals are served by The Akshaya Patra Foundation UK, as part of a special initiative by the school to help out low-income families dealing with rising costs. “We need solutions that are cost-effective. These meals by Akshaya Patra are cheap – a hot meal with fruit and vegetables for under £3. The portion sizes are good, and many children like to take some food home, maybe for their parents to eat. The food is vegetarian and that feels kind to the earth too.” Said Rabia Cornelius, Pupil and Family worker at Dormers Wells Junior School in Ealing. Tackling Hunger & Malnourishment Together—the Akshaya Patra Way! While charities, food banks and other organizations are stretched offering support by sharing food, often the thought of what is being fed is neglected. Packaged food from tins, cans are better than suffering hunger. However, nutritionists warn that children consuming highly processed foods, and food so high in salts and sugars over a long period of time can actually be heading to another problem – malnourishment. The spike in illnesses in children over the years has burdened the National Health Scheme in the UK. The Akshaya Patra Foundation UK have been thought leaders in tackling Hunger and Malnourishment together at the same time. The charity has a legacy of over 23 years in India, where it serves over 2 million children, daily. These meals are hot, nourishing and vegetarian. With their state- of-the-art kitchen, they can produce freshly cooked food at speed and at scale. The charity launched its first international kitchen in the UK in October 2020. Their fully-steel sustainable kitchen has been donated by philanthropist organization GMSP Foundation. It is the largest of its kind and can cook up to 8,000 meals in 3 hours. 22 February 2023 www.insightscare.com The flagship program is aptly titled Nourish to Flourish thus far already served over 650,000 hot, nutritious, vegetarian meals to children at London schools, holiday clubs and community centres. “Hunger knows no nationality or background. It is a recurring problem – 3 times each day. And if we ignore our children, we are putting our own future at stake. These children will be our leaders tomorrow – we must collaboratively feed them and feed them right. So, we use best practices to try and mitigate the problem, as best as we can. We’d love to serve children at schools as well. All children can afford a meal too. Because our meals are healthy, cooked specially for children who wish to learn. And learning at that age does not need food loaded with hormones, processed flours and preservatives. They need to eat at school like they eat at home.” Said Bhawani Shekhawat, CEO at The Akshaya Patra Foundation UK. There are more than 3 million children suffering from hunger in the UK. Of them, nearly 800,000 children are in London alone. To know more about The Akshaya Patra Foundation UK (the name translates to an unlimited pot of food) – please visit www.tapf.org.uk. Bhawani Singh Shekhawat is the CEO of The Akshaya Patra Founda□on in Europe, the world’s largest and perhaps most celebrated school meals program that is currently serving over 1.6 million children every day, amoun□ng to over 2 billion meals. About the Author 23 February 2023 www.insightscare.com Top Strategies Optimizing in Healthcare he healthcare industry is considered to be one of the Tmost important in any economy. It is responsible for the provision of healthcare services to the population, which is essential for the well-being of the people. The healthcare sector is also one of the most complex sectors, with many challenges that need to be addressed. One of the most significant challenges facing the healthcare sector is the optimization of the supply chain. The supply chain is an essential component of the healthcare sector, and it is responsible for the delivery of healthcare products and services to patients. The supply chain is an essential component of healthcare delivery. The supply chain is a life-saving, critical aspect that promotes the delivery of services and commodities to the end-user, who is the patient in healthcare. The healthcare supply chain is growing increasingly challenging to manage as healthcare systems become more unpredictable and complex. Uncertainty and hazards are present at every stage of the healthcare decision-making process. In this article, we will discuss the top five strategies for optimizing the supply chain in the healthcare sector. Improving Supply Chain Management Improving supply chain management is required to guarantee that healthcare personnel have the resources they need to execute their duties. The supply chain process is an essential component of healthcare delivery. The supply chain is a life-saving, critical aspect that promotes the 24 February 2023 www.insightscare.com 25 February 2023 www.insightscare.com delivery of services and commodities to the end-user, who is the patient in healthcare. Managing the healthcare supply chain is growing more complex as healthcare systems become more unpredictable and sophisticated. Uncertainty and hazards are present at every stage of the healthcare decision-making process. In such instances, good healthcare supply chain management is critical, as we must ensure that vital healthcare supplies are supplied in a diversified manner throughout a healthcare system at the appropriate quality and quantity. Targeted Actions Targeted actions support supply chain improvement. The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled health-care supply chains to become more robust and proactive, pushing them to their limitations while boosting their strategic role within the organization. Engagement from health system executives and clinical leaders in key areas will be crucial to maintaining supply chain success. As health systems reflect on their supply chain performance, they should consider the following targeted actions: Ÿ Develop a comprehensive supply chain strategy Ÿ Establish a governance structure Ÿ Build a data-driven supply chain organization Ÿ Invest in analytics Ÿ Improve supply chain visibility Ÿ Optimize inventory management Ÿ Implement a value-based approach to procurement Use of Technology The use of technology is another strategy for optimizing the supply chain in the healthcare sector. Technology has the potential to transform the healthcare industry and address the challenges it is facing. The healthcare industry needs to embrace digital transformation to improve healthcare and strengthen customer relationships. The future of healthcare needs to be more patient-centric to provide patients with the necessary care. The importance of technology in healthcare is deeply rooted, and it is essential to keep up with the latest trends and innovations to stay ahead of the curve. Improve Order Accuracy Providers should increase order accuracy and thoroughly review contracts and inventory levels to optimise healthcare supply chain management.In this day and age of payment reform, efficient healthcare supply chain management is critical if healthcare executives want to decrease costs and enhance quality. An effective supply chain has the potential to improve healthcare service delivery. Managing complicated supply networks, on the other hand, is a difficult undertaking. To successfully make improvements to a supply chain, healthcare executives should also use effective technologies, which also need to be supported by strong contracts. Promote Efficiency Promoting effectiveness and efficiency in the healthcare supply chain is critical for organizations seeking to reduce costs and improve care. On average, medical supplies now account for around a quarter of hospital spending. Supply chain costs are projected to rise as a result of general inflation and rising medical device and item prices. As such, healthcare providers need to promote efficiency in the supply chain by: Ÿ Reducing waste Ÿ Streamlining processes Ÿ Improving communication Ÿ Investing in technology Ÿ Building strong relationships with suppliers Healthcare is one of the most important areas in any economy. It is responsible for the provision of healthcare services to the population, which is essential for the well- being of the people. The healthcare sector is also one of the most complex sectors, with many challenges that need to be addressed. One of the most significant challenges facing the healthcare sector is the optimization of the supply chain. The supply chain is an essential component of the healthcare sector, and it is responsible for the delivery of healthcare products and services to patients. - Saloni Agarwal 26 February 2023 www.insightscare.com InterLeukin Innovations Inc. Bridging the Supplier-Buyer Gap With Digital Solutions In a hospital setting, health providers rely on suppliers to deliver medical supplies quickly and with prompt responses on a daily basis. But issues with medical suppliers continue to exist. From supplies not being delivered on time, poor compliance with purchasing policies to moving back-and-forth before the final purchase order, these gaps, when unattended, result in a delayed medical supply. For this reason, InterLeukin Innovations Inc., a digital platform based in the Philippines, is here to enhance this supplier-buyer connection. Eliminating the supply chain gap, it collaborates with local and international distributors and manufacturers to enhance the buyers’ retail experience. The company ensures to provide a smooth interaction of supplier and buyer while the product is manufactured, purchased and delivered to its end client. This platform, led by Laila Marquez, the CEO and Founder, provides the most advanced digital solutions, facilitating affordable and quality-assured medical supplies to foster a better healthcare delivery system. Let’s peek into InterLeukin’s operations to see what makes it a perfect digital solution for suppler-buyer interaction. The Journey to Resolving the Healthcare Crisis O Marquez’s ne of partners was once a medical distributor who kept trading and selling medical items for twenty years in Manila and nearby provinces. For years, she had gained the trust and support of hospitals in those areas, gaining her business large profits. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, the same business was severely disrupted. Not only she was unable to meet the demands of her customers due to the high cost, but also the sales went down. Customers began to entertain other suppliers, and she was unable to promote her products directly to the hospitals. On the other hand, hospitals and labs are experiencing issues with the suppliers, as there are greater delays in receiving the supplies they need. For instance, Marquez, by profession, is a Medical Technologist. During her practice, she would often find herself in the position of a buyer and fix the procurement needs of her department. But after a while, working in the laboratory became routine work for her. That’s when she decided to try the other side of the world, i.e., to become a supplier. “I grew my sales career with local and international medical device companies wherein I would digest every bit of experience I had in this field. That led me to have a burning desire to build a company that will solve the pains of being a supplier and a buyer in the medical industry,” adds Marquez. In that instance, InterLeukin was born, with the initiative to enable these different customers to integrate in a digital space to make their healthcare business crisis- proof through technology. Being a digital solution, it has been helping offline medical businesses create a cost-saving revenue stream by simplifying medical supply distribution across different medical institutions through an e-Commerce technology. 10 Best Healthcare Supply Chain Management Companies in 2023 28 February 2023 www.insightscare.com Key Products and Services There is always a challenge of penetrating different markets across the Philippines that requires a lot of investment, energy and effort. But both the medical suppliers and institutions are looking for ways to connect with each other without the hassle of waiting, making tough negotiations, and closing a sale that in turn will lead to creating a purchase order. Addressing the challenge, InterLeukin offers a comprehensive procurement management tool (to manage all medical purchasing needs), end-to-end e-commerce support, and data in the industry. This has enabled space for smooth interaction between the buyer and supplier until the purchase order has been made and the product is delivered. Abiding By Six Values InterLeukin aligns its operations with the six core values, like: Integrity: We deliver what we commit by all means. Innovation: We believe in the continuous art of improvement Diversity: We love everyone’s differences, and we appreciate everyone’s ideas Quality: We make sure to bring the best quality products and services Excellence: We strive to go beyond our limits to become the best Customer-focused: We work to serve, not to be served. Both medical suppliers and institutions are looking for ways to connect with each other without the hassle of waiting. Streamlining the traditional way of purchasing, InterLeukin has enabled space for a smooth interaction between the buyer and supplier, up until the purchase order has been made and the product is delivered. Laila Marquez CEO and Founder InterLeukin Innovations Inc. a.k.a. InterLeukin 29 February 2023 www.insightscare.com All these values are crucial to building a team that will grow the company together. In addition, they would become its ambassadors, bringing forth these values when dealing with internal and external customers and attaining InterLeukin’s objectives. Seeking Technological Advantage to Simplify Medical Supply Delivery To streamline the traditional offline way of medical purchasing, i.e., from selling up to delivering products at the warehouses of medical institutions; InterLeukin utilizes different technologies that can be implemented, such as cloud technology, AI and machine learning. Since InterLeukin is a digital solution, Marquez and her team make sure that they are updated on the latest happenings in the industry by attending several networking events, conferences and meetings with industry experts. This allows them to prepare things ahead and offer their clients a quality user experience. In addition, collaboration is yet another strategy that serves the company in keeping everything on pace for the clients. Creating Opportunities for Growth One must have a certain level of involvement with the healthcare industry in order to grow. For those entrepreneurs who desire to walk on Marquez’s footsteps, she suggests, “Your patience and resilience will be overly stretched. You will find a lot of things here that will frustrate you. Don’t settle on complaining about the things that are lacking. See scarcity as a shot for growth, and what’s present is your foundation of improvement.” InterLeukin’s Future Plans InterLeukin has been a constant support in assisting with medical supplies since its establishment. In the previous year, it was nominated for 2021 Startup Newcomer of the Year and Startup of the Year 2021 in the ASEAN Startup Awards, recognizing its contribution to the healthcare and medical sector. Looking ahead, the company is ready to take-off on offering an innovative business model to the medical industry that will bring them better business across different countries that they wish to expand to. InterLeukin will lead the enablement of several big medical device companies to a healthcare eCommerce space that will solve their challenges in market penetration, regulatory, supply chain and logistics. 30 February 2023 www.insightscare.com