To be successful in
supply chain management you need data. And then you need to know what to
do with the data. Organize it. Analyze it. Interpret it. Work with it to
the point that it becomes useful information and not just a collection
of letters of numbers.
To obtain that data and
to process that data into useful information that can be used in supply
chain management decision making for product selection, evaluation,
usage and maintenance or disposal you need information technology.
Hardware and software. Materials management information system (MMIS)
vs. enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. Choosing the right
package can be a challenge. Choosing the optimal package can be even
more difficult.
That’s why Healthcare
Purchasing News debuts its first annual IT Guide for our readers to
use as an information source in their selection process. We designed it
to be a helpful informational tool, offering just enough details to make
it easier to narrow your choices.
We sent surveys to 65
vendors that offer hardware and software products and services. We asked
the companies to highlight how they created their products. We asked
them to provide product specifications, including standards supported
and data security protocols installed. We asked them to complete a
comprehensive checklist of supply chain management-related functions and
features, electronic data interchange transaction sets and how they
reach into clinical business areas, such as surgical services and
patient care where operational budgets and overall fiscal health are
affected. We also asked them to outline their end-user services and
support, including software updates, support fees and warranties.
In HPN’s first
annual IT Guide, you’ll find the Internet addresses of those companies
that responded to our survey for you to conduct additional company and
product research. We also provide you with a list of companies and
Internet addresses of those firms that did not respond to the survey so
that you can perform your own strategic sourcing with our guide as a
benchmark.
Companies and products
listed in HPN’s IT Guide are for informational purposes only and
are published as a reader service. Because HPN does not test or
use any of the products listed, it does not assume responsibility for or
validate any claims made by the companies.
Click
here to view
the complete IT Guide
