The challenging task of distributing generic pharmaceuticals to a huge network of hospitals, pharmacies, prisons and more in 48 states in the U.S. has become even more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic for industry leader Genetco.
Any disruption in the supply chain means lost revenue for all parties involved. That is why Genetco needed a reliable DSCSA solution provider to support its operations and FDA compliance initiatives. Genetco Vice President of Operations Bill Carney decided his team needed to find a new provider because the previous one that Genetco had for two years had too many issues and was failing to meet the technical and functional needs of their business. Missing Advanced Shipment Notifications (ASN) and wrong data were daily occurrences.
Carney and his team spent many days and weeks contacting the previous solution provider for resolutions but received little response. Daily issues not only took away the valuable time from Carney and his team, but also caused the inbound shipments to pile up. “This is not the way to run a business,” Carney says. You can watch a video of Bill Carney by scrolling to the end.
Selecting a new solution provider can be overwhelming because it is hard to judge how versatile it can be without a full engagement, so Carney spent time researching options with other industry colleagues also looking for new options. To be considered, a provider needed to demonstrate versatility, solution depth and breadth, and cost effectiveness while demonstrating commitment to high customer service and satisfaction.
Ultimately four companies were considered. Carney was looking for a provider that would not add complexity and manual process to Genetco’s high volume and high throughput operations. He sought automation, performance, and reliability from the new solution without having to hire a team of internal colleagues to help manage the process.
One critical requirement of a new provider was to help reduce or eliminate the amount of time Genetco shipments spend in quarantine at any time – which of course is another example of lost revenue.
Genetco selected LSPediA’s RxChain and OneScan solution suites including EDI Tracking, EPCIS, VRS, Investigator, and API Connector modules. Genetco went live into the production environment in May 2020, fully integrated with their own IBM ERP system for master data synchronization and order automation using the standard LSPediA APIs. Since then, Genetco realized a 70% reduction in daily issues and an immediate improvement of ASN quality. Through the data visibility of EDI Tracking, Genetco can now sequence the delivery trucks, time the docking and unloading, then quickly receive shipments into inventory.
The flexibility of the LSPediA solution has proven to be particularly beneficial during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many of Genetco’s pharmacy customers are changing their usual ordering patterns in fear of not having enough supply during the pandemic. Meanwhile Genetco’s manufacturers are challenged by limited on-hand inventory. LSPediA’s solution handled inbound supply changes and outbound shipping changes seamlessly leveraging the integration between LSPediA’s solution and Genetco’s ERP system.
There are many benefits that Genetco has recognized since their initial kickoff meeting with LSPediA in October 2019.
“LSPediA has proven to be just what we thought – organized and competent,” Carney says. “They help keep our projects on track and support issues and requests are handled immediately. This level of efficiency frees up staff time to get these pharmaceuticals out the door safely on time to our pharmacy customers and the patients in need.”
LSPediA can provide the same level of confidence for manufacturers, distributors, and dispensers as it does for Carney and his team at Genetco. Older systems might still function as intended, but hidden cost from lost opportunities and quiet obsolescence will remain. Legacy DSCSA systems kill a business softly over time by holding the company back from performing and innovating.
If you are looking for a software solution provider to help your supply chain performance stay on time and on budget, contact LSPediA for your free DSCSA audit report. It can be the first step in streamlining your processes, automating your operations, and supporting your compliance success. You can watch a video of Bill Carney by clicking the play button below.
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