“Never before has the importance of manufacturer relationships, the reliability of supply availability, and the ease at which healthcare organizations can get what they need, when they need it, been more apparent,” Odenkirk explained. “To achieve the level of automation their customers demand, manufacturers must consolidate and automate multiple, siloed, and disconnected supply chain processes.”

For instance, “the adoption of electronic invoicing and payments will reduce the costs associated with manual processes and will create a more level payments playing field for manufacturers,” Odenkirk explained.

She also points out that manufacturers relying on manual processes were at a “significant disadvantage” during the early days of the pandemic. “They lacked visibility into supply procurement and the ability to place automated orders; manage shortages, backorders, and stock-outs; and process payments,” she said.