This project will provide research in the area of health care logistics modeling and analysis through a TIE project between two highly successful Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers (I/UCRC). The Center for Engineering Logistics and Distribution at the University of Arkansas is a multi-campus I/UCRC specializing in logistics research. The Center for Health Management Research is also a multi-campus I/UCRC with a lead institution at the University of Washington specializing in health care research. The research foci of these centers present a unique opportunity to examine issues related to the health care supply chain. The health care value chain consists of the producers of medical products such as pharmaceuticals and medical devices, the purchasers of these products such as wholesalers and group purchasing organizations, the providers including hospitals, physicians, and pharmacies, the fiscal intermediaries, and finally the payers. Each health care value chain may have a different structure, and therefore, different strategic management issues, costs and performance abilities.
