Navigating The Future: Axis Health And WebOps Are Redefining Healthcare Inventory Management And Logistics In The Middle East Axis Health and WebOps have not just formed a strategic partnership; they are architects of change.
By Ashok Raman
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In the rapidly evolving landscape of healthcare and medical technology, a transformative journey is unfolding in the Middle East. Axis Health and WebOps have not just formed a strategic partnership; they are architects of change.
This alliance and shared purpose accelerates healthcare transformation and improves patient care by optimizing the healthcare supply chain, starting from when a medical product leaves a manufacturing plant or distribution warehouse, through the hospital setting, and ultimately until it reaches the very moment and place it is needed most- in the clinician's hand for ready use on the patient in medical need.
Beyond their shared sense of purpose to enhance the healthcare supply chain, each organization has integrated relevant components of their portfolio of capabilities, technologies, and people in a unique and complementary way that will deliver region-specific solutions that solve for the unique complexities inherent in the healthcare industry.
NAVIGATING THE CHALLENGES: REVOLUTIONIZING THE MEDICAL DEVICE SUPPLY CHAIN
In the dynamic landscape of the GCC healthcare industry, particularly within the healthcare sector, the spotlight is on supply chain management more than ever. Recent years have seen an amplified emphasis on navigating the intricacies of this complex field, notably illuminated by disruptions brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ripple effect of these disruptions underscores the paramount importance of precision, especially in the globally connected and multi-tiered med-tech supply chains that meticulously adhere to stringent regulatory standards. In the GCC, clinical providers and healthcare executives grapple with substantial disruptions, impacting an overwhelming 93% of executives in the past year alone. Frontline heroes, including nurses and physicians, find themselves diverting almost 40% of their precious time from patient care to administrative tasks.
This urgency is further accentuated by the surge in healthcare costs. Governments, recognizing the pivotal role of supply chain optimization, acknowledge that up to 50% of healthcare expenditures in some countries are earmarked for supplies. This underscores the pressing need for streamlined solutions that not only alleviate the burdens on clinical providers but also enhance overall efficiency, aligning with the dynamic landscape of GCC healthcare.
Image courtesy Lucidity Insights.
Remarkably, despite being a significant asset base and involving substantial investments, numerous medtech companies persist in utilizing outdated inventory management methods. Manual, labor-intensive, error-prone, and inefficient methods endure, with some entities clinging to outdated tools like fax machines, Excel spreadsheets, and whiteboards. While a handful of manufacturers have crafted in-house solutions, traditional enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems fall short when it comes to managing external stock. This lingering reliance on antiquated inventory practices serves as a compelling call for urgent and innovative solutions to reshape the medtech supply chain landscape.
WEBOPS: REVOLUTIONIZING THE TAPESTRY OF MEDICAL DEVICE LOGISTICS
In the healthcare and medical device sector, bespoke solutions addressing specific challenges are a reality. Founded in 2006, WebOps has emerged as a pioneering force in healthcare supply chain solutions. Established by a team of seasoned industry professionals with profound expertise in medical device sales, distribution, logistics, and software development, WebOps was conceived with a collective understanding of the inherent challenges within the healthcare sector.
Image courtesy Lucidity Insights.
At the core of WebOps' offerings is its flagship product, WebOps Logistics, a comprehensive inventory management system finely tuned to navigate the complexities faced by medical device and biologic companies, along with their distributors. This transformative solution integrates a customized software-as-a-service (SaaS) web suite, a good manufacturing practices (GMP)-compliant receiver manager, and an intuitive mobile application, delivering real-time visibility into each field inventory transaction, and fostering heightened sales efficiency, operational excellence, and substantial cost reductions.
AXIS HEALTH: DELIVERING THE FUTURE OF CARE, TODAY
Guided by its mission to enhance access to care through cutting-edge technologies, collaborative teams, and strategic partnerships, Axis Health is ushering in a new era of healthcare solutions. Axis Health operates across three dimensions, seamlessly integrating expertise in medical device distribution, supply chain advisory services, and managed services.
As leaders in medical device distribution, they have excelled in "delivery" of state-of-the-art and next-gen technology products to healthcare providers. Their unwavering commitment to supply chain optimization ensures the efficient "delivery" of medical products, creating a streamlined and cost-effective healthcare ecosystem. In the realm of managed services, they have successfully redefined care accessibility through the innovative business models and partnerships that "deliver" healthcare closer to workplaces or homes, providing a personalized and convenient healthcare experience.
Their vision at Axis Health goes beyond delivering services and products; it aims to orchestrate a transformative healthcare experience where precision meets innovation, shaping a future where Axis Health delivers excellence today.
WEBOPS AND AXIS HEALTH: A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH
WebOps global expansion from the US into the UAE market strengthens as it gains strategic support from Axis Health and its CEO Hamid Dean Refai. The partnership is based on complementing one another's strengths, such as wrapping Axis Health's advisory expertise around WebOps portfolio of digital software to digitally transform how inventory is managed for clients, but more importantly to ensure that automated and digitized workflows are redesigned to be streamlined and optimized first.
WebOps CEO Hamid Dean Refai. Image courtesy WebOps.
The ultimate intention is simply to deliver best-in-class solutions that ensure clients achieve their desired operational and financial outcomes, while ensuring patient care and healthcare services are elevated with a healthy supply chain that successfully delivers the right product to the right place, at the right time. Together, they are stronger in partnership, and the impact will be greater as they forge a path towards a more connected and efficient healthcare future.
The GCC region has experienced significant growth in its healthcare sector over the past two decades. Investments in hospitals, healthcare professionals, and equipment have been on the rise. Today, the healthcare industry faces a pivotal moment, where advanced technology can play a crucial role in addressing the challenges and ensuring the industry's continued growth and improvement.
Image courtesy Lucidity Insights.
WEBOPS LOGISTICS: FUNCTIONS AND BENEFITS
WebOps Logistics is the cornerstone of this transformational solution. Its functions and benefits are far-reaching and integral to healthcare supply chain in the GCC region. Here are some of the key areas where WebOps Logistics excels:
1. Total Inventory Control Full traceability and oversight, ensuring vital medical devices are where they need to be when they need to be there, the platform's advanced system brings clarity and control to the forefront of inventory management to help manage product expiry and quality alerts while optimizing front and backend processes.
2. Sales Enablement The platform empowers healthcare providers to make informed decisions about device usage and procurement. It enhances sales and operational efficiency, contributing to improved cash flow for medical device and biotech companies.
3. Integration and Automation WebOps Logistics excels in integration and automation, extending its capabilities far beyond standard enterprise ERPs. It connects with top-tier software in various domains, including sales force automation, hospital integrators, and shipping providers, alongside integration with essential hospital electronic health records (EHRs) and warehouse management systems (WMS). The result is a seamless, efficient, and technologically advanced system, integral to modernize the care delivery.
4. User-Centric Design The software's clean, modern, and easy-to-use mobile and web interfaces have contributed to an industry-high 98% user adoption rate. This user-centric approach features specific intuitive customizations designed for the various functional roles and types of organizations involved along the supply chain.
5. Tissue Tracking Solution In addition to medical device management, WebOps Logistics offers the innovative tissue tracking solution. This feature ensures real-time visibility into tissue inventory levels, facilitating the tracking and maintenance of human tissues used in surgeries. It enhances patient safety, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency.
6. Global Reach with Scalable Architecture With a demonstrated capability to adapt and grow, WebOps' 100+ enhancements fueled geo-expansion across multiple continents and is available in 7 languages, ready to support all sizes of organizations or from local clinics or distributors to international health systems and multinational medtech manufacturers.
A GLIMPSE INTO TOMORROW: PAVING THE PATH FOR PATIENT-CENTRIC HEALTHCARE LOGISTICS
In the realm of healthcare within the Middle East, we're witnessing a paradigm shift, influenced significantly by escalating healthcare expenditures, a surge in demand for advanced medical apparatus, trends in patient consumerism, and stringent regulatory mandates. This shift isn't just about logistics; it's a comprehensive overhaul encompassing medical device management and the intricacies of supply chain operations, all rooted in the principle of patient-first care. Plus, investments in hospitals, healthcare professionals, and equipment have been on the rise.
Today, the healthcare industry faces a pivotal moment, where advanced technology can play a crucial role in addressing the challenges and ensuring the industry's continued growth and improvement. At this juncture, entities like Axis Health and WebOps become not just participants, but crucial catalysts. Their combined expertise in the nuances of healthcare logistics and medical device management is key to transforming the region's healthcare system into an archetype of efficiency, compliance, and patient-centered care.
Now, let's talk about the linchpins of this transformation. First, we have the medical device and healthcare supply chain management. Here, embracing innovative technologies like radio frequency identification (RFID) in platforms akin to WebOps is pivotal. These technologies and systems, with their real-time tracking and streamlined processes, are indispensable in managing the intricate dance of medical device logistics. They ensure the availability and optimal utilization of medical equipment, directly impacting patient outcomes.
Image courtesy Lucidity Insights.
Digital transformation is another frontier. It's not just about technology for technology's sake, but automating processes to enhance operational efficacy. Consider cloud-based inventory management systems- these aren't just tools, but strategic assets offering real-time insights for sharper forecasting and decision-making. Moreover, they align with the governmental policymakers to drive towards stringent regulatory compliance, particularly crucial in the medical device sector.
The leadership role of Axis Health and WebOps in this revolution is about fostering a proactive, rather than reactive, approach in supply chain management. It's about enhancing visibility, honing forecasting accuracy, and maintaining adaptability to the ebb and flow of the industry. It's about ensuring patient safety and meeting regulatory demands with tailored tracking and compliance mechanisms.
Let's also look at the shift towards value-based care, which underscores efficient management of medical supplies and devices. The adoption of systems like WebOps, that can integrate with barcodes or RFID technology in hospitals, exemplifies a move towards streamlined and error-free inventory management, whether it's for a knee implant, or for tracking human organs and tissues, thereby enhancing patient care and staff efficiency.
In essence, the future we're looking at in the GCC's healthcare sector is not merely about technological integration, but transforming these sectors into a unified, patient-focused ecosystem. With the strategic foresight of industry leaders and regional footprint of Axis Health and WebOps, we're setting new benchmarks in efficiency, compliance, and, most importantly, patient care.
As we move forward, the GCC is not just adapting, but setting a global standard in healthcare logistics, medical device management, and supply chain efficiency. The journey, though laden with challenges, is well-charted with visionary leadership that are tried and tested, ensuring a healthcare system that is responsive, resilient, and ready to cater to the ever-evolving needs of its populace.
To read more about the ongoing innovations in digital health, check out this report here.
This article was originally published on Lucidity Insights, a partner of Entrepreneur Middle East in developing special reports on the Middle East and Africa's tech and entrepreneurial ecosystems.
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