Sweet spot of resupply: Intersection of good data, great team

WATERLOO, Iowa – Providers need to measure the success of their resupply program with key metrics, VGM Fulfillment’s Mike DiMarco told Heartland Conference attendees this week. 

“Having incomplete or fragmented data makes it difficult to leverage and act on,” said DiMarco, vice president of operations excellence at VGM Fulfillment. “You want to leverage your data and routines to be proactive vs. reactive.”

DiMarco spoke during a panel session titled “How Strategic is Your Business Planning with Resupply?” Here’s a recap of some of his talking points.

Essential elements of a successful resupply strategy

Providers should start by identifying and focusing on the outcome they hope to achieve, says DiMarco.

• Build out processes and standards to ensure that outcome is met
• Layer in routines on how to measure, manage and monitor
• Measure success with key metrics like conversion rate, reorder frequency, revenue per patient, and adherence rate

“And at the heartbeat of it all is a balance of having the right level of detail to make data-driven decisions and having a great team with strong ownership and accountability,” he said. “With these pieces in place, you can continue to optimize and continuously improve process to eliminate waste and increase efficiency.”

Using AI and automation to ‘speed things up’

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a great tool to help automate, “speed up” and support parts of the business, such as eligibility tracking and demand forecasting, DiMarco says.

“(This) drives scale while reducing manual effort,” he said.

Resupply as a strategic priority & driver of growth

Data and tech aside, DiMarco reminds providers that resupply starts at the point of care.

“You want to ensure the patient has the best experience and that starts with having the right supplies readily available at the time they need them to support their therapy,” he said. “On top of that, resupply is a recurring revenue stream that drives patient retention, making it critical for sustainable growth.”