Creating a Source of Truth in Healthcare: Testing the GDSN
as a Platform for the Healthcare Product Data Utility
Results from DoD Healthcare GDSN Pilot Phase IIA
Results from DoD Healthcare GDSN Pilot Phase IIA
The Department of Defense (DoD) authorized a pilot with the Global Data
Synchronization Network (GDSN) as a follow-on to its initial Product Data Utility (PDU)
pilot PH I to leverage already existing process systems. From the PDU pilot, DoD found:
• DoD efforts to generate synchronized item info netted considerable savings
• Item data collected from various DoD suppliers indicated significant data disconnects
between Healthcare industry trading partners,including manufacturers, distributors and
its own internal pricing/contract management applications
• Requesting "one-off" data feeds from partners is a resource burden on both parties
• Other industries were demonstrating that GDSN was working for them
• DoD efforts to generate synchronized item info netted considerable savings
• Item data collected from various DoD suppliers indicated significant data disconnects
between Healthcare industry trading partners,including manufacturers, distributors and
its own internal pricing/contract management applications
• Requesting "one-off" data feeds from partners is a resource burden on both parties
• Other industries were demonstrating that GDSN was working for them
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
UNSPSC Case Studies
Mercy Ships needed an inventory tracking
system that would use a generic universal descriptive robust
enough for customs clearances, but still offering a means of
locating inventory within a warehouse or cargo hold. After
searching numerous resources, Mercy Ships developed their new
Warehouse Management System around the concept of UNSPSC
(United Nations Product and Services Code). Download
the PDF document here.
University Health Care is the leading
health care provider in a 22-county region, with 450
independent, private physicians. Launching into a
classification project in August 2004, University mapped out a
strategy for bringing structure to the hospital's supply item
master file using UNSPSC categories. Follow the process and
learn how using the UNSPSC data standard to negotiate a
purchasing agreement saved University $600,000 per year. Download the case study here.
A health care delivery network of aligned
hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities, home care
agencies and many other programs makes up Ministry Health Care,
serving Wisconsin and Minnesota. Learn how this major health
care provider moved from eight different MMIS systems
with line items numbering from 8,000 to 30,000 to a
shared item master using UNSPSC. Download
the case study here.
