SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

• US 20140136218A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 05/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX Ultimate Parent Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX Ultimate Parent Corp.)
• Inventors: Bolene, David, Bolinger, Eric, Drees, Margot, Fornarola, Janine
• Granted Patent: US 9,589,247 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1413 1D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0832 Special goods or special handling procedures, e.g. handling of hazardous or fragile goods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

Systems and methods are directed to supply chain management. In particular, the tracking, tracing, authenticating, and reporting of supply chain events for products, is disclosed. Various embodiments can store, analyze, and track supply chain events and help to coordinate and maintain trading partner connections. Various embodiments also help to enhance patient safety, secure the supply chains for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other healthcare products, and help users to follow regulatory requirements.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computer-based system for managing a supply chain, data for an event associated with an item;

identifying, by the computer-based system, events associated with the item;

retrieving, by the computer-base system, the identified events; and

generating, by the computer-based system, an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event is at least one of:

a commissioning event, an aggregation event, a shipping event, a receiving event, a disaggregation event, and a decommissioning event.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the computer-based system, a location of the item by analyzing the event sequence for the item.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising;

determining, by the computer-based system, whether there are a plurality of event sequences for the item; and

in response to the plurality of event sequences for the item, generating, by the computer-based system, an alert for the item.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system, data for an aggregation event for the item.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

analyzing, by the computer-based system, the aggregation events of the identified events to determine one or more parent items;

identifying, by the computer-based system, events associated with the one or more parent items;

retrieving, by the computer-based system, the identified events for the one or more parent items; and

generating, by the computer-based system, an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events for the item and from the retrieved events for the one or more parent items.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving, by the computer-based system, data for a disaggregation event for the item.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

analyzing, by the computer-based system, the aggregation events and the disaggregation events of the identified events to determine one or more parent items;

identifying, by the computer-based system, events associated with the one or more parent items;

filtering, by the computer-based system, events associated with the one or more parent items that only apply to the item;

retrieving, by the computer-based system, the filtered events for the one or more parent items; and

generating, by the computer-based system, an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events for the item and from the retrieved events for the one or more parent items.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing, by the computer-based system, the retrieved events to determine duplicate events; and

generating, by the computer-based system, an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events that does not include the duplicate events.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising determining, by the computer-based system, a location of the item by analyzing the event sequence for the item.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing, by the computer-based system, the retrieved events to determine missing events;

generating, by the computer-based system, an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events; and

determining, by the computer-based system, a location of the item by analyzing the event sequence for the item.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing, by the computer-based system, the retrieved events to determine events that arrived out of order;

ordering, by the computer-based system, the retrieved events to generate an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events; and

determining, by the computer-based system, a location of the item by analyzing the event sequence for the item.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps are repeated in a batch mode for each of a plurality of items.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an application programming interface for communication with one or more entities of the supply chain.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the computer-based system, a report for the retrieved events for the item, wherein the report comprises event information for the retrieved events.

16. The method of claim 3, further comprising;

providing, by the computer-based system, a report for the retrieved events for the item, wherein the report comprises event information for the retrieved events and location information for the item.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, by the computer-based system, a chain of custody for the item.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing, by the computer-based system, the chain of custody for the item to an entity in the supply chain with a sufficient access rights.

19. A tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system for managing a supply chain, cause the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, by a computer-based system for managing a supply chain, data for an event associated to an item;

identifying, by the computer-based system, events associated with the item;

retrieving, by the computer-base system, the identified events; and

generating, by the computer-based system, an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events.

20. A system comprising:

a processor for managing a supply chain,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by a computer-based system for managing a supply chain, data for an event associated to an item;

identifying, by the computer-based system, events associated with the item;

retrieving, by the computer-base system, the identified events; and

generating, by the computer-based system, an event sequence for the item from the retrieved events. wherein the visibility constraint is based on a policy of a publisher of the retrieved event; and

pushing, by the processor, the retrieved events to the entity, in response to application of the visibility constraint.