Medical Supply Prime Vendor: Is the Department of Defense on the 'Readiness' Road to Abilene?

Abstract

Adopting commercial medical prime vendor (PV) practices has eroded the traditional defense medical supply infrastructure and impacted DOD's ability to support two nearly simultaneous major regional crises. This study examines the readiness implications of PV in reducing inventory levels within the Defense Personnel Support Center depots, U.S. Army installation support activities, and U.S. Army medical field units. Also highlighted are DOD and service initiatives to test PV support under contingency conditions, to contract alternative solutions to PV shortfalls, and to institute other business enhancements. This study argues that DOD is presently in a transitionary period and that vulnerabilities will persist until recent acquisition strategies have been implemented. Finally, other readiness-related concerns and recommendations are addressed regarding the diminishing medical materiel infrastructure and the diminishing training base.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1996
Accession Number
ADA308626

Entities

People

  • Darryl W. Lloyd

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Business Administration
  • Combat Readiness
  • Department Of Defense
  • Deployment
  • Geographic Regions
  • Governments
  • Health Care
  • Health Services
  • Hospitals
  • Logistics
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Applications
  • Military Hospitals
  • Military Medicine
  • Military Operations
  • Supply Chain Management
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Economics
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.