Written by Lawton R. Burns and a panel of expert contributors, from the prestigious Wharton School, The Health Care Value Chain analyzes the key developments and future trends in the United States' health care supply chain. Based on a groundbreaking research initiative underwritten by the industry/university consortium-- the Center for Health Management Research-- this important book offers an in-depth examination of how the health care supply chain helps create value and competitive advantage.
The Health Care Value Chain offers a thorough examination of the trading relationships among the manufacturers of health care products, the distributors, the group purchasing organizations, and the hospital customers and end users of those products. And the authors show how health care professionals and manufacturers can work together to form beneficial strategic alliances. The Health Care Value Chain

• Shows how the health care value chain works
• Uncovers the complexity of product procurement and delivery
• Reveals the pathways and stumbling blocks to improved value chain operations
• Describes the strategies of manufacturers in three product areas-pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and medical-surgical products
• Explains the strategies of group purchasing organizations and wholesaler/distributors
• Reveals the role of e-commerce in the health care value chain
• Compares the health care value chain with the "extended enterprise" model found in the auto industry
• Offers insights into the hospital customer of the future

The Health Care Value Chain will give a greater understanding of how the health care supply chain works in order to enable health care executives to form strategic alliances, increase their market power, and gain competitive advantage.