Assignment
Part 1
1. What is a comprehensive definition of supply chain management for health care organizations?
2. What is the primary focus of supply chain management?
3. There are four cornerstones to supply chain management. Describe them and provide the key components of each.
4. What does upstream mean?
5. Name three reasons distributors add value to a hospital's supply chain network.
6. Demand should be aligned with supply to optimize the chain. What does demand mean for health care?
7. A stock-out is common when supplies are distributed throughout all areas of the hospital. What are some ways to reduce stock-outs?
8. Are the concepts of lowest unit of measure and just in time the same? Why or why not?
9. What role does reverse logistics play in supply chain management?
10. In what specific ways can hospitals improve their collaboration with key vendors, such as the large distributors in food services, pharmacy, and medical supplies? Which type of data could be shared that would help improve the overall supply chain?
11. Have the Voluntary Inderindustry Commerce Standards had much of an effect on health care? On which part of the chain?
12. Sales and operations planning is a process adapted from industrial and manufacturing settings. How can it be applied to hospitals?
Part 2
1. What role does materials management play in health care?
2. What are the key functions and processes of materials management?
3. How does the layout of a hospital floor or unit affect operational efficiency?
4. Discuss the concept of cost minimization models. When can they be applied, and what are the steps to follow when using them?
5. Differentiate between a request for information, request for proposal, and request for quotation, and describe the utility of each in the hospital purchasing process.
6. What is a group purchasing organization? What value can it bring?
7. Why does a hospital need both a group purchasing organization and a purchasing department?
8. Which types of technologies are involved in laundry management?
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.