Focus on Anticipation, Prevention and Mitigation Strategies under Thematic Area 3 of the Community of Interest Forum (COIF)
The PROCURE project, funded by the European Union, is making significant strides in strengthening healthcare supply chain resilience across Europe through its Community of Interest Forum (COIF).
Under Thematic Area 3 – Anticipation, Prevention and Mitigation, a series of targeted webinars has explored how health systems can better identify, prevent, and respond to vulnerabilities in procurement and supply chain operations.
The first webinar focused on understanding and identifying vulnerabilities in complex healthcare supply chains. Experts and participants from across Europe exchanged insights on challenges such as supplier dependencies, lack of transparency, and limited forecasting capacity — all of which can significantly disrupt medical supply delivery, particularly during crises.
Building on this foundation, the second webinar led by Iris Menéndez, project manager at IACS (Aragonese Institute of Health Sciences), spotlighted preventive and mitigation strategies with key contributions from Mercedes Domingo, Warehouse Service Manager, and José María Díaz, Assistant Director of Purchasing and Logistics at SALUD (Aragon Health Service).
The speakers presented a range of successful actions implemented by SALUD, including stock level increases (from 1.5 to 2.25 months), early shortage detection protocols, and the use of open procurement procedures. These measures have reduced out-of-stock incidents to 0.01%, offering a model of resilience for healthcare systems across Europe.
Participants engaged in interactive activities to assess the impact and feasibility of various risk mitigation tools, such as penalty clauses, multiple supplier contracts, and digital tracking systems. Discussions also addressed the diversification of suppliers, the importance of early warning systems, and regulatory guidance such as the recently published MDR/IVDR Article 10a decision guide flowchart by MedTech Europe, AESGP, and COCIR. The guide can be accessed at: https://www.medtecheurope.org/resource-library/article-10a-mdr-ivdr-decision-guide-flowchart
These webinars are part of PROCURE’s broader mission to enhance procurement practices and build resilient, efficient, and transparent healthcare supply chains across Europe, ensuring continuity of care in times of both stability and crisis.
Further information on https://www.projectprocure.eu/
