Half of hospitals still managing supply chain data manually, if at all

Hospital decision makers obviously understand that efficient supply chains can boost margins and bolster bottom lines. And many also understand they can improve the quality of care. Despite that, nearly half of those polled for a new report say they're still using manual processes such as spreadsheets to manage their supply chain data instead of deploying more sophisticated analytics tools. The survey, sponsored by supply chain management vendor of Syft, finds that many hospitals recognize SCM as a priority but haven't made technology investments to improve its performance. Just 13 percent, for instance, said it was their organization's highest operational investment priority for 2019, with many more focused on areas such as patient throughput and process improvement.