How data and technology are reshaping healthcare operations

Rising product costs, backorders, staffing constraints and fragmented systems continue to place pressure on healthcare operations leaders, who are tasked with managing spending while supporting consistent care delivery across multiple sites. As organizations respond to these dynamics, many are reassessing how data and technology fit into their operational planning and decision making processes.

These challenges are often more pronounced in non acute settings, where purchasing patterns, unit-of-measure needs and delivery requirements can differ from those of acute care facilities. As care delivery continues to expand beyond hospital walls, traditional, hospital centric supply chain models may not always align with the needs of decentralized sites. Non acute distributors, including McKesson Medical Surgical, focus on supporting continuity of supply through flexible distribution approaches, low unit-of-measure fulfillment and category experience tailored to these environments.

For healthcare operations and supply chain leaders, data and technology are increasingly considered tools that can support visibility and coordination across complex networks. When adopted thoughtfully and aligned with organizational workflows, these tools may help inform decision making and operational alignment.

Challenges in modern healthcare supply chains

Operational efficiency and cost consideration

Managing supply chain activities across multiple locations can present ongoing administrative challenges. Manual workflows and inconsistent processes may slow purchasing activities and contribute to errors. Over time, inefficiencies such as expired inventory, excess stock or unplanned expedited shipping can add complexity to cost management efforts.

Common operational challenges may include:

• Difficulty maintaining consistent purchasing practices across sites of care
• Manual purchasing and inventory workflows that increase administrative effort
• Limited visibility into inventory usage, which can contribute to excess or expired products
• Unplanned expedited shipping used to address supply gaps or backorders

These challenges are often magnified in non-acute environments, where sites are decentralized and storage space may be limited. As a result, non-acute supply chains often require distribution models designed to align with varied site-level needs.¹

Contract management and risk considerations

Contract management remains a complex administrative area for many healthcare organizations. Disparate procurement and contract management systems can make it more difficult to maintain visibility into negotiated pricing structures, preferred suppliers and formulary guidance. Organizations frequently manage many contracts across clinical, payer, vendor and procurement categories, which can add complexity to tracking terms, renewal timelines and internal requirements.²

Supply disruptions, including backorders and delivery delays, can further complicate purchasing workflows—particularly in non acute settings where teams may need to identify alternate products to support continuity of care. In these situations, organizations may experience greater variability in purchasing activity and increased administrative review. Clear documentation and reporting processes can help teams better understand purchasing patterns and support internal oversight efforts.

Data and digital limitations

Limited access to timely, integrated data continues to affect supply chain operations. When procurement, inventory and financial information reside in separate systems, generating consolidated insights can be challenging. Activities such as forecasting demand, reviewing supplier performance or identifying trends may rely on delayed or retrospective reporting rather than real time information.

These limitations can be especially challenging across non acute networks with many locations and varying supply needs, where visibility across sites is important for coordination and planning.

Change leadership and adoption challenges

Technology initiatives also depend on effective change leadership. Internal resistance, limited training or unclear workflows can affect adoption and consistent use. Operations leaders often look for solutions that align with existing processes and support gradual, sustainable adoption across teams.

Leveraging data and technology for transformation

Data analytics and operational visibility

Data analytics are commonly used to help organizations interpret operational activity and identify patterns within supply chain data. Analytics tools available in the healthcare market, such as McKesson Business Analytics and Reporting, offer dashboards that organizations may use to review inventory levels, supplier performance and spending activity across sites of care. The usefulness of these insights can vary based on data quality, system integration and user adoption.

Some organizations also explore predictive analytics to model potential demand scenarios or assess historical trends. In non acute environments with variable ordering patterns, these tools may support planning discussions when used alongside other operational inputs.

Digital integration across workflows

Integrated digital platforms are often designed to connect procurement, inventory and contract management activities across systems. By consolidating data sources and reducing manual tasks, organizations may improve internal visibility and coordination among finance, supply chain and operations teams. When teams reference shared information, decision making processes can become more consistent and aligned.

Supplier performance review and sourcing considerations

Access to performance data can support internal review of supplier activity, including delivery patterns, cost trends and service history. These insights may inform sourcing discussions and diversification strategies aimed at supporting continuity across non acute care settings. Supplier evaluation processes and outcomes remain subject to organizational policies and external factors.

Standardization to support internal consistency

Technology tools are also used by some organizations to support standardization efforts, such as maintaining approved supplier and product lists. Reporting and tracking capabilities may assist teams in reviewing purchasing activity and supporting internal documentation, while allowing flexibility where non acute workflows require it.

Practical steps to begin a data driven approach

Healthcare organizations do not necessarily need to address every aspect of their supply chain at once. Many begin with foundational steps that support visibility, coordination and adoption over time.

Common actions organizations consider include:

• Reviewing current systems and data quality
• Prioritizing integration across procurement, inventory and financial information
• Implementing dashboards or reports for operational review
• Monitoring supplier activity and purchasing patterns through reporting
• Supporting adoption through training and communication

A phased approach can help organizations explore data driven initiatives without placing undue strain on teams or workflows.

The future of healthcare operations and data

Data and technology are increasingly part of how healthcare organizations approach supply chain complexity, internal coordination and planning across non acute and alternate sites of care. As organizations evaluate their operational priorities, many continue to explore tools and services designed to support informed decision making.