The optimization of supply chains has had a tremendous impact on every industry. With this constant push to make processes faster and more efficient, how do you think this has impacted the project management processes? How has supply chain optimization impacted medical device companies differently than a traditional brick-and-mortar retail store and could that impact how projects are run?
Personally, I think the topic of medical device supply chains is fascinating. This made me wonder how project management may have been impacted with supply chain optimization. I would love to hear what you think!
Thanks,
Matt
I currently do not work in the medical device industry but the cosmetics industry, where supply chain management is so crucial to keeping production going. I think with some of the changes to our supply chain processes, we are entering a new era where management should be easier and less manual, and I think this in turn will allow projects to have clearer objectives and an easier time achieving success. Of course, this is in a perfect world and sometimes things do not go as planned as so typically happens in supply chain.
I feel that for a medical device company it only benefits them as having the resources available and in a controlled and timely manner will allow ramp-up of production and more flexibility. It also gives room for new devices/projects to be completed and while this introduces more complexity to the projects and overall structure of the company, the boost in production and sales can be tremendous.
An important factor in the medical device supply chain is quality. Like any other industry, medical device companies want to optimize costs and increase profits. What makes them different is that their suppliers have to maintain a high level of quality as well. Medical device companies may not just choose the cheapest and fastest supplier. They want a supplier that consistently provide good product, for an optimal price.
The FDA even has regulations for medical device suppliers. The 820.50 regulation states that “each manufacturer shall establish and maintain procedures to ensure that all purchased or otherwise received product and services conform to specified requirements.” This makes sure the supplier consistently provides quality products and services.
@jal58 I am curious if you know, who performs quality assurance for these companies or judges their work? I would assume they have quality assurance positions in the company (like majority do). It sparks my curiosity to think how medical device chain supply could have many different affordable options making the same product. How could they increase reputation and become the "Go-to" company for supplying the products? What defines the quality of the product or service? Are all these regulations by the FDA followed?
I am a bit skeptical because there are always loopholes and shortcuts around things, especially when there are larger profitable margins involved.
I think overall a big impact on the supply and chain optimization with the need of everything being done quickly and by machinery instead of manually. This changes how devices are made because they need to not only be done quicker/efficiently but maintain the same integrity/quality. Supply and chains impacts the devices because they need to be consistent yet made much quicker.
That being said, it puts more pressure on project managers to have the same end product but with less time. It does make projects easier because of the less manual aspect but then also challenges the quality of the device because of the reduction of time.
It could be looked as "easier" on the project management end where everything is less manual but could potentially be more demanding since they have to find other materials to meet a deadline (from a supply and chain end), and these alternatives need to meet a criteria and be completed in a fraction of the time.
Project management and supply chain must coordinate throughout the entire lifecycle of the product development. Supply chain needs to be aware when the product will be ready so they can coordinate to have the first production lot ready on time simultaneously. Additionally, supply chain must be aware of the materials being selected so they can ensure there is enough inventory of the material. With the constant push to make processes faster and more efficient, many medical devices have switched to an electronic format to keep track of supplies/supply chain. For example, one way is by incorporating the use of a machine readable unique device identifier (UDI) on the product labels. This has optimized supply chain processes by allowing individuals to quickly scan and gain information about products. This has impacted the project management process because there are additional considerations project management needs to consider and be on top of when designing a product. Additionally, an electronic more streamlined process allows for faster and more efficient workflows. Therefore, it is possible for project management to work on multiple different work streams at once.
Supply chain optimization has enabled project managers to have access to real-time data, making it easier to track progress, identify issues, and make decisions quickly. This has also enabled project managers to manage their resources more effectively, reducing the risk of delays and increasing the chances of project success. The impact of supply chain optimization is different for medical device companies compared to traditional retail stores. Medical device companies have more stringent regulatory requirements and higher quality control standards, making supply chain optimization crucial to ensure compliance and safety. This requires a more robust and complex supply chain management system, which can impact how projects are run. For example, project managers in medical device companies may need to focus more on risk management, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance, and may need to involve more stakeholders in the project planning and execution process.
In my experience, the company I used to work at often pushed the employees to double production output. This was a goal from upper management and in order to achieve this goal, the employees needed to work much harder than they already are. However, upper management failed to identify and provide many resources needed to achieve this goal. If production output is to be doubled, then this must stem from personnel. The company neglected to hire enough employees, so we did not have enough resources to achieve this goal. In addition, the existing employees are taking on much more; therefore their output for each project is minimized because they're handling many at a time. Overall, there was a negative impact and production was outputting less than before. In my opinion, this usually leads to backlogs and further issues down the road. In the heat of pumping out products, we are cutting corners and making items cheaper, which down the line can negatively impact a company.
The optimization of supply chain has certainly impacted project managers in many different ways. As many prior posts have stated, this optimization has resulted in making process faster and more efficient. However, one post has stood out the most by pointing out the negative effect supply chain optimization has also had on project managers. With the goal of making processes faster and more efficient, supply chain optimization has put pressure on project managers to work within tighter timelines and budgets. The impact of supply chain optimization on project management processes varies between industries, with medical device companies facing unique challenges due to the highly regulated environments they operate in. Project managers in these companies may need to work closely with regulatory affairs and quality assurance teams to ensure compliance with regulations throughout the supply chain. Conversely, project managers in traditional brick-and-mortar retail stores may focus more on optimizing logistics and inventory management to meet consumer demands. As technology and industry practices evolve, project managers will need to stay up to date on the latest trends and techniques in supply chain management to meet the changing demands of their industries.