The impact of the digitalization of health on the pharmaceutical supply chain
Digitalization has affected many sectors and the health sector has not been one exception. At the heart of this change, the pharmaceutical supply chain has undergone profound changes, thus impacting several aspects in a positive way.
Better traceability, a guarantee of safety
One of the impacts of digitalization on the supply chain has been significant improvement in the traceability of medicines. Thanks to technology, it is now possible to follow a drug from its production to its administration to patients. Among other things, this resulted in:
- Better health security,
- Optimized inventory management,
- Increased compliance with regulations,
- Etc.
Strengthened collaboration between the actors in the chain
The digitalization of health has made it possible to facilitate collaboration between actors in the health chain supply.
- Secure data exchange : Digital platforms enable secure sharing of information between manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and hospitals.
- Improved communication : Online collaboration tools facilitate exchanges and decision making.
However, digitalization has not only had positive impacts on the supply chain supply. Indeed, it has also created a certain number of challenges to be met in the pharmaceutical sector. These include:
- Data security: The protection of health data is a major issue.
- Investment costs: The implementation of IT systems can represent a significant cost.
- Etc.
The digitalization of the pharmaceutical supply chain has certainly had positive impacts but it is important that we can meet the various challenges it creates.
