Navigating Healthcare Supply Chain Operations (Coursera)

In this course, you will focus on activities and functions such as inventory control, logistics, procurement, supply chain relationships, information technology systems and innovations, and response to emerging trends. It introduces various tools and techniques that enhance effective management of supply chain operations in healthcare organizations.

Throughout this course, you will be given the opportunity to apply the course concepts to an operational process improvement project.

Syllabus

WEEK 1

Demand and Capacity Planning in Healthcare

Managing the highly uncertain demand and matching this to available capacity in healthcare is a major challenge for many organizations. In this module, you will examine this demand-capacity mismatch and ways in which firms address it. You will examine demand forecasting approaches, capacity planning, queuing or waiting line challenge, and scheduling systems.

WEEK 2

Inventory Management

Inventory plays an important role in service delivery and performance of the organization. Healthcare organizations hold a wide variety of inventory items that range from commodity items to advanced equipment. However, holding too much inventory is expensive for the organization in part because inventory ties up capital, incurs storage and service costs, and creates a risk that the inventory may be damaged, stolen or become obsolete. This module highlights what inventory is, challenges and players involved, and approaches for improving inventory performance.

WEEK 3

Procurement and Supplies Management

Procurement or the acquisition of supplies and services is an important function in healthcare. In this module, you will examine the procurement process and its importance, procurement challenges that organizations in healthcare face, different procurement models, vendor selection process, group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and their role in procurement, and procurement best practices. As you engage with the material throughout this module, reflect on the procurement challenges you observe within your own organization.

WEEK 4

Emerging Trends in Healthcare Supply Chain, Strategy, and Impact on Performance

Healthcare organizations operate in a dynamic and ever-changing environment where new challenges, opportunities, and threats are the norm. There are many trends that continuously shape the way the organizations in the healthcare sector operate. For example, the Covid-19 pandemic had a profound impact on many organizations across different industries. Some organizations were not able to cope with the challenges brought about by Covid-19 pandemic. It is important that managers appreciate such trends in order to steer their organizations to success in the face of the trends.In this module, you will examine different trends that impact the healthcare sector including innovations, some best practices in the healthcare operations, change management approaches, and a highlight of key lessons in the course