Bridging Research Gaps in Supply Chain Risk Management: Recommendations for Developing Novel Frameworks and Integrating Technology

Supply chain risk management means finding, checking, and reducing risks that can stop goods and services from moving smoothly. These risks can come from supplier problems, transportation delays, natural disasters, cyberattacks, or changing rules. Research shows that companies can’t just wait to react when problems happen. They need to spot risks early and get ready for them.

Looking at many studies on supply chain risk management (SCRM) shows some common topics and limits. These include:

• Risk Identification and Assessment: Many models focus only on usual supply chain risks and miss new or unknown threats. Current plans often can’t change quickly when something sudden happens, like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Risk Mitigation Strategies: Many solutions focus on having backup plans or spreading out suppliers. But they often forget how to use digital tools the right way. Also, people don’t fully understand how healthcare buying is special because it links directly to patient health.
• Impact of Emerging Technologies: While technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and cloud computing are known to help make supply chains easier to see and faster to react, few studies look at how healthcare uses these tools in real life. This makes it hard for healthcare managers to decide whether to invest in new tech.
• Need for Novel Frameworks: Research suggests that new risk management plans should include digital tools, live data analysis, and quick decision-making. These plans would help healthcare supply chains stay strong and keep working because delays or problems can affect patients directly.

The Role of Emerging Technologies in Enhancing Supply Chain Risk Management

Using new technologies like big data, AI, blockchain, and cloud computing (called Industry 4.0) has shown some success in making supply chain risk management better. A recent study with 117 UK manufacturing managers looked at how internal factors, like how ready an organization is, and outside pressures, like rules, affect technology use. Even though this study focused on manufacturing, the results apply to healthcare in the U.S. because healthcare buying faces similar risks and rules.

Important ideas from the study include:

• Digital Transformation Maturity: Healthcare groups that have improved their digital setups see more value in using tech for risk management. Hospitals and clinics with advanced IT can better use AI and blockchain to find and fix supply problems faster.
• Organizational Resilience: Groups that can predict, respond to, and recover from risks quickly are more open to using AI and blockchain solutions. Resilience is very important in healthcare because supply problems can hurt patient care.
• External Market and Regulatory Pressures: Healthcare providers must follow strict rules about supply safety, data privacy, and patient protection. These rules push organizations to use secure tools like blockchain that make supply chains clearer and easier to track.
• User Perception: How useful and easy technology seems to the users matter a lot. Healthcare IT managers are key in deciding if AI and related tools fit the goals of their organizations.

The study shows that using these technologies can make operations run better by finding risks faster and helping make decisions using live data.

Addressing the United States Healthcare Supply Chain: Specific Considerations

The healthcare supply chain in the U.S. is complex. It has many suppliers, distributors, and is watched over by agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medical administrators and owners need to manage this complicated system to get medical supplies without interruption.

Supply chain problems in healthcare affect patient health directly. For instance, running short on protective gear, medicine, or surgery tools during emergencies can delay or stop needed treatments. So, risk management plans must be made to fit healthcare’s special needs.

Some key challenges and needs in U.S. healthcare supply chains include:

• Critical Supplier Relationships: Healthcare providers often depend on a few key suppliers for special equipment or drugs. Managing these supplier ties with a focus on strength and quick response is important to avoid problems.
• Regulatory Compliance and Auditing: Risk management systems must follow rules that guarantee product safety and data security. Technologies like blockchain help by keeping unchangeable records and real-time tracking.
• Geographical and Operational Diversity: Healthcare groups vary from big urban hospitals to small rural clinics. Risk plans and technologies must be flexible and able to fit different sizes and resource levels.
• COVID-19 Lessons: The pandemic showed weak spots in supply chains and proved how important it is to be flexible and use digital tools during unusual events.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Workflow Automation in Healthcare Supply Chain Risk Management

AI-Driven Risk Identification and Prediction

Artificial intelligence can look at a lot of data from many sources like supplier records, demand guesses, shipping logs, and market conditions. Machine learning can find patterns or odd signs that show possible supply risks faster than humans can.

In healthcare, AI can:

• Guess when supplies might run low based on how much is used and market trends.
• Check supplier risks by looking at past delivery records and financial health.
• Spot early warning signs of problems like shipping delays or new rules that might affect supply.

These skills help healthcare managers make better buying choices. This lowers chances of delays or missing supplies needed for patient care.

Automation of Routine Tasks

AI-powered call answering and office automation, such as those from companies like Simbo AI, help make communication and office work easier. Automated phone systems can sort calls about supply orders, delivery questions, or vendor follow-ups without using staff time. This lets workers focus on bigger risk management tasks and respond faster.

Workflow Integration and Data Consolidation

Automated systems can bring data together from buying, finance, and logistics departments. They create useful dashboards for risk managers. Real-time alerts and tools help managers see what’s happening and act quickly.

For example, cloud-based AI can manage workflows to reorder supplies when stock gets low. This reduces mistakes and keeps buying processes steady.

Organizational Resilience through AI and Automation

Research by people like Dr. Soumyadeb Chowdhury shows that resilient organizations are more likely to use AI and blockchain. In healthcare, resilience means having tools that help adjust rapidly, keep supplies coming, and lower work stress during crises.

AI and automation help resilience by:

• Watching supply chain health nonstop.
• Helping fast communication between teams and suppliers.
• Supporting follow-up with changing rules and laws.

Recommendations for Medical Practice Administrators and IT Managers

Based on the research and healthcare supply chain needs in the U.S., here are suggestions for administrators and IT managers:

• Assess Digital Maturity and Build Infrastructure: Check how ready the organization is for digital tools. Invest in IT systems that can grow and support AI, blockchain, and cloud computing.
• Prioritize Supplier Relationship Management: Create plans to work closely with key suppliers. Share information, assess risks together, and make backup plans.
• Implement AI-Driven Risk Monitoring Tools: Use analytics platforms with machine learning to watch supply signs, predict problems, and advise on solutions.
• Leverage Workflow Automation for Administrative Efficiency: Use AI-based call answering and process automation to lower routine work in buying and data entry.
• Ensure Regulatory Compliance Through Technology: Use blockchain and other tech tools that keep clear and checkable supply chain records to meet FDA, CMS, and other rules.
• Promote Organizational Resilience: Form cross-team groups trained to spot risks, supported by technology platforms that help react fast to supply chain breaks.
• Engage in Continuous Research and Upgrading: Keep up with new Industry 4.0 technology developments and update risk management plans based on new best practices and rule changes.

Doing these steps can help healthcare providers in the U.S. manage supply chain risks better, keep patient care safe, and run smoothly.

About Simbo AI’s Role in Healthcare Supply Chain Risk Management

Simbo AI works on AI-powered front-office phone automation and call answering services. In busy medical offices and hospitals, Simbo AI’s tools help reduce staff time spent on routine calls about supply chains, appointment setting, or patient messages. By automating these tasks, office teams can focus more on supply monitoring and making smart plans, which helps with risk management.

Simbo AI’s technology fits the need for healthcare groups to use AI tools that improve how work gets done and how fast they respond. This lowers the risk of communication delays or mistakes that could cause supply problems and affect patient health.