GS1 Healthcare U.S. Launches 2015 Readiness Program

To prepare for serialization within the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain, GS1 Healthcare U.S. is launching The 2015 Readiness Program. Intended to provide an industry reference model using GS1 standards, the program allows participants to simulate supply-chain activities employing serialization. 

Members of the U.S. pharmaceutical supply chain responsible for IT, government relations, logistics, packaging, and
supply chain operations, including contract manufacturers, contract packagers, disposers, hospital pharmacies,
kitters, manufacturer, repackagers retail pharmacies, and wholesalers, are invited to participate.
 
Participants will be able to simulate the following processes:

1. Test exception processes to minimize implementation surprises. 
2. Decrease the need for trading partner pilots.
3. Generate GS1 standardized data to test your systems.
4. Test new concepts and data to discover additional benefits.

The 2015 Readiness Program consists of four consecutive three-month phases. Each phase is focused a specific set of U.S. pharmaceutical supply-chain processes. Participants will work together to:
 
1. Create models to simulate trading partner behavior based on the work of the GS1 Healthcare U.S. Traceability Adoption Workgroup.  
2. Create scenarios using simulated processes, such as:
 Phase 1 – Basics Forward Logistics.  
 Phase 2 – Additional Forward Logistics drop shipments, repackaging, and kitting.
 Phase 3 – Reverse Logistics including recalls, returns, and withdrawals.
 Phase 4 – Exception Processing for Forward and Reverse Logistics.
3. Run scenarios and validate behaviors and data.
4. Publish the completed simulation industry reference model.

All participants will receive a copy of the completed reference model and resultant data.

Program Schedule
 
Phase 1 – Basics Forward Logistics Q12010Starts January 13th, 2010
Phase 2 – Drop Shipments, Repackaging and Kitting Q22010
Phase 3 – Reverse Logistics Q32010
Phase 4 – Exception Processing Q42010
 

To participate, contact Bob Celeste, director, healthcare, GS1 Healthcare U.S. by December 31, 2009. The 2015 Readiness Program kick-off meeting will be held on January 13, 2010 at the GS1 US Corporate Offices in Lawrenceville, NJ.

GS1 will be hosting two Web seminars on December 10 to review program details.

Program Requirements

1. Participate on weekly calls.
2. Validate your supply chain role within the simulation model.
3. Provide test scenarios and data (data can be altered to protect proprietary information):
− Lot Sizes
− Production Volumes  
− Internal Processes  
4. Validate simulated data generated:
− EPCIS Query and Response Events
− Product Disposition Transitions
 

GS1 Healthcare U.S. reports that program participation aims to resolve the majority of issues prior to implementation with trading partners, reducing implementation costs. It may also demonstrate whether a company is “trading partner ready”  
as well as whether its partners are ready.