Becker's Hospital Review

36 SUPPLY CHAIN 4 Threats to the US Blood Supply By Mackenzie Bean R esearchers highlighted numerous fac- tors hindering the sustainability of the nation's blood supply in a new study from RAND Corporation. For the study, researchers analyzed data per- taining to blood supply and costs from the CMS, CDC and Food and Drug Adminis- tration. ey also conducted interviews and focus groups with representatives from 10 blood centers, eight hospitals, and 11 corpo- rations that supply equipment and services to blood centers and hospitals from February 2016 to June 2016, according to the report. Researchers held separate conversations with blood experts from various governmental organizations — including the CDC, CMS, FDA, HHS and the National Institutes of Health — in the same time period. Here are four factors researchers identified as threats to the U.S.'s blood system. 1. Medical advances. Over the last 10 years, the emergence of new medical ad- vances — like less invasive surgeries and new drugs — has lowered the demand for blood. In the same time period, the size of the coun- try's blood collection and distribution system slightly decreased, but not enough to match waning demand, according to the report. 2. Hospital consolidations. Hospital mergers and acquisitions have also grown more prevalent in the last decade, shiing negotiation power away from blood centers to hospital buyers. is shi in power has increased competition among blood centers and dropped blood prices, hurting blood centers' already thin profit margins and rev- enues, according to the study. 3. New pathogens. e emergence of new pathogens — like Zika virus — tack on additional production and testing costs for blood suppliers. 4. Donor shortage. Researchers said a shrinking pool of active donors is also limit- ing the country's supply of blood. n More Than Two-Thirds of Hospital Leaders Expect to Boost Annual Supply Chain Investment Over Next 3 Years, Survey Finds By Mackenzie Bean P remier recently released the results of its semiannu- al economic outlook survey, which polls healthcare executives on the biggest issues facing their supply chains and health systems. The most recent survey incorporates answers from 52 health system C-suite executives across the country. In one section of the survey, respondents were asked to share their thoughts regarding cost management strate- gies relating to the supply chain. Here are three survey findings. 1. Eighty-three percent of respondents said it will be im- portant for their supply chain team to explore risk-based contracting with suppliers over the next three years. 2. Almost every respondent (98 percent) expects to further standardize physician preference items in the near future. 3. Sixty-seven percent of hospital executives thought their annual investment in supply chains would increase over the next three years. n How Amazon Trains New Warehouse Workers in Just 2 Days By Mackenzie Bean A mazon can now train warehouse workers in as lit- tle as two days due to new technology like touch screens and robots, according to The Wall Street Journal. From November 2016 through December 2016, Amazon hopes to add 120,000 seasonal workers at its warehouses to prepare for peak holiday shopping season. To attract these employees, the Seattle-based company harnessed new technologies to make training fast, easy and flexible, according to the report. In 2016, Amazon built 26 new facilities in the U.S., each of which rely on screens, robots, scanners and other technol- ogy to simplify tasks for workers, according to John Olsen, vice president of human resources for Amazon. New employees receive hands-on training as soon as their first day on the job, said Mr. Olsen. They first learn how to pack up shipments, guided by a screen that indicates which box size to use and automatically releases a piece of tape to fit the package, according to the report. In traditional warehouses, new employees usually spend their first day in a classroom and the total training period can take up to six weeks, according to supply chain experts. "The technology works to walk you through the steps," said Mr. Olsen. "It automates almost everything." n

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