Martin Waroquiers
In recent times, a portion of the pharmaceutical industry has witnessed a surge in the adoption of digital clinical supply chain planning tools. The motivation behind this trend is to attain end-to-end (E2E) visibility across the entire clinical supply chain, leading to a more agile, resilient, and robust supply. However, the prevalent misunderstanding is that the mere presence of these tools is sufficient for a groundbreaking transformation while, actually, poor change management (involving processes and people) is generally recognized as being the main reason for software implementation failure.
Current Scenario
Pharmaceutical companies are investing in integrated supply chain management tools with the aim of enhancing visibility and efficiency. The end goal is to leverage cutting-edge technologies like AI and big data to streamline clinical supply chain management. What we notice is that simply purchasing those tools and expecting the magic to happen rarely works and, if ever, not for long. A more comprehensive approach is essential to fully harness the potential of advanced systems while keeping teams engaged.
Ideal Approach
Buying and deploying a system is one thing. Ensuring its usage is correct, that the right data is available and that the outcomes of the system are implemented are another.
The implementation of a new tool (or methodology) is a continuous effort that starts by the engagement of senior management, themselves pledging to support and promote the usage of new technologies. Through their engagement, they’ll elevate the motivation of the operational teams, transmitting their willingness to improve and digitalize downstream.
Motivating operational teams to change also involves the understanding of their current reality (how they operate today), and to build with them how they’ll collaborate tomorrow. Then and only then is it possible to configure the system and engage the people in its use.
Collaborating with the operational teams on the monitoring of usage is therefore paramount in any implementation. It should occur before, during, and after the system and derived processes are live. And as the operational team is the most frequent user of the system and processes, they are amongst the most suitable for challenging and improving these.
While we acknowledge the impact of advanced tools in clinical supply chain management, it is fundamental to emphasize the need for support during the adoption of a new tool. At N-SIDE, we advocate for a more profound shift in 4 areas:
- Digitalize
- Configure
- Integrate
- Onboard
Key Transformational Points
Digitalize
The digitalization journey starts with one thing: organizational readiness. Leadership engagement (i.e. their true commitment to and promotion of the transformation project) and the formation of cross-functional teams involving departments like CMC, Clinical Supply, and Clinical Operationss are pivotal for successful implementation. Engagement of the leadership is the first step towards a successful digital transformation, closely followed by, as stated previously, the appointment of dedicated champions amongst the departments and/or teams, that will act as spearheads to embrace the change at an operational level.
Processes will have to adapt to the digital reality of tomorrow. In order to do so, understanding the situation of today, what added-values the new environment will bring is important, but so is the way to realize these added-values. In that endeavour, monitoring the implementation and related tasks is crucial, to ensure course corrective actions are put in place soon enough and with sufficient accountability. The champions are the key to make this happen: they know the business, the people, and are thus able to point out what works and what doesn’t.
Once the digital transformation is initiated, shifting from reactive, siloed, and robust approaches to anticipative, collaborative, and resilient strategies is essential. This transformation in culture ensures the capacity to withstand and recover quickly from difficulties. Once the new system and associated processes are live, it is crucial to monitor how well these are used and what benefits they are having (this ensures long-term engagement). Course correct where necessary: it is possible that adapting one specific process or making a subtle change in system configuration can generate huge time savings and thus, engagement from the teams.
Configure
System configuration has already been mentioned before. Looking at it more in detail, it includes activities such as master data management, trial setup as well as data migration from legacy systems. While these activities are important for the go-live of the new system, it is also important to ensure that some of these activities remain governed by proper processes and guidelines (e.g. master data migration or trial setup) to ensure system adoption and added-value extraction in the long run.
Integrate
The digital environments of today are integrated, and all systems within the environment should work as one as much as possible. This is of course similarly true for clinical trial supply chain planning systems. It is indeed primordial to ensure these systems connect appropriately with others (ERP, IRT, etc.), exchanging information on the right topic (e.g. patients information, trial inventory, britestock, DP receipt date etc.) to ensure it provides accurate forecasts and plans. By connecting properly with external systems, either absorbing information or sending it, one additional step is made towards a maximized added value extraction.
Onboard
Ensuring that end-users of the new system and processes are capable of using it is another important priority. However, failing to properly plan the engagement of the teams can lead to a delay or worse, a failure of the transformation. We have seen high success rates in training champions and super-users that act as ambassadors of the new environment, thus promoting its adoption by all team members on top of the classic training and coaching sessions.
Beyond Tools - Expertise Matters
In addition to offering high-end tools for clinical supply chain management, N-SIDE highlights the significance of having supply chain experts who can support the inevitable change represented by the implementation of a new tool. From supporting the creation of processes, to understanding the data required and adapting the usage of a system according to trial specificities, expertise, whether drawn internally or from supporting partners, will be a key driver of success in the implementation.
In conclusion, to achieve best-in-class outcomes in clinical supply chain management, it is imperative to adopt a holistic approach integrating advanced tools with organizational readiness, process adaptation, and cultural transformation. Research consistently shows that successful supply chain transformations involve not only the implementation of cutting-edge technologies but also concurrent organizational and cultural shifts. Organizations that invest in both technological solutions and change management strategies are better positioned to optimize and keep the control of their supply chains, leading to improved operational efficiency, cost savings, and competitive advantage.
