The following is an excerpt from the article Building a Smarter Supply Chain: Best practices and recommendations for pandemic preparedness found in the March 2011 issue of Economic Outlook:
Risk management is a fundamental building block of any supply chain strategy. Risks external to a supply chain, such as influenza outbreaks and natural disasters, often occur suddenly with disruptive effects that can last far beyond the event itself. This sentiment, coupled with a deepening realization that globalization leads to greater supply chain interdependence, has prompted many healthcare supply chain leaders to engage in smarter risk management and to develop best practices for pandemic preparedness.
"It's time to realize the potential threats of outsourcing, and to be strategic about the supplies we import, and in what quantities. Although it is imperative that supply costs remain as low as possible, we cant always assume that the global marketplace will be open for our business." - Mike Alkire, president, Premier Purchasing Partners