Differences in manufacturing and healthcare supply chain management: an overview

Given the growing costs in the healthcare supply chain management, optimising the healthcare supply chain configuration, accurate demand forecast and efficient distribution of products, and increasing the efficiency of processes and operations in healthcare organisations via deployment of innovative ideas and technologies are critical to maintain a sustainable healthcare supply chain system. A descriptive review approach is used to systematically study the different echelons in a typical healthcare supply chain system and provide insight into understanding of its structural characteristics that makes it different from manufacturing supply chain network. Particularly, the structure of healthcare supply chain networks, the goal of a healthcare supply chain system, complexities associated with healthcare products, criticality of reliable product transportation, and complex dynamics in physician-hospital-vendor loop are studied. Better understanding of the differences between manufacturing and healthcare supply chain management can provide a guideline to systematically improve healthcare supply chain management.