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Blog Post Written by: Edward Pohl, Ph.D., the University of Arkansas Center for Innovation in Healthcare Logistics
The results are in, and the healthcare supply chain is continuing to make steady progress towards the implementation of global data standards: Global Location Numbers (GLNs) and Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs). The fourth annual survey of supply chain professionals was conducted by the University of Arkansas Center for Innovation in Healthcare Logistics and funded by HSCA and HISCI, and found that 71 percent of respondents are moving towards adoption of a data standards system in the next five years, with improving efficiency as the key driver for implementation. That means awareness of the standards and their benefits (improving efficiency and patient safety and helping identify defective products during recalls) is growing.
According to the survey, 66 percent of group purchasing organizations are using GLNs in some or all appropriate transactions compared to 39 percent in 2010, and 22 percent of providers are using GLNs compared to 10 percent in 2010. Just 31 percent of respondents indicated that their organization is committed to meeting the sunrise date of December 31, 2012, for adopting GTINs, and 81 percent are not currently using GTINs in their organizational transactions currently.
In addition to general standards adoption rates, this year’s survey also examined some of the barriers that are impacting the implementation of GLNs and GTINs.
Key findings included:
- Of those indicating a lack of movement towards adoption of a data standards system, 49 percent indicated a lack of perceived value for their organization as a factor preventing adoption.
- Of all respondents, the three most cited barriers to adopting GLNs were lack of perceived need (37 percent), information system issues (35 percent) and lack of implementation plan (25%).
- Of all respondents, the three most cited barriers for adopting GTINs were technology issues (33 percent), lack of implementation plans (32 percent), and lack of organizational support (24 percent).
“HSCA and the group purchasing industry are committed to helping healthcare providers overcome these barriers and adopt global standards, which are critical for ensuring patient safety, the effective recall of defective medical devices, and to reducing overall healthcare costs,” said HSCA president, Curtis Rooney.
The online survey was conducted in fall 2011, with participation by 514 healthcare supply chain professionals. Over half of respondents work for a healthcare provider with the balance made up of manufacturers, group purchasing organizations, distributors and other healthcare supply chain organizations such as consulting. The vast majority of respondents hold manager-level and above positions within their organizations, including almost fifty executive respondents.