Customers

Baxter's supply chain extends from producers of raw materials to end users of the company's products. Maintaining a safe, secure and reliable supply chain is essential for ensuring patient safety. Baxter's supply chain must function without interruption even when natural disasters and other unexpected crises occur. Baxter also works to ensure the way it transports its products to customers is reliable and environmentally responsible.

Increasing Efficiency Through eCommerce

Baxter offers electronic product fulfillment options that help customers automate business transactions. The online eServices Center, provided to customers free of charge, enables easy order placement, inquiries, usage reports, and shipment tracking. Customers can find Baxter's products in the company's online catalog, available in 14 countries. Baxter supports standard electronic data interchange (EDI) as well as transactions processed through the Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX). The exchange is owned by Baxter and other healthcare manufacturers, group purchasing organizations and distributors, and enables healthcare providers to transact with multiple vendors through one electronic connection.

Electronic ordering, invoicing, payment, advanced-ship notices, distributor transactions and inquiries enable Baxter to streamline customer transactions and reduce paper use and costs. Nearly 82% of order lines are handled electronically in the United States.

Increasing Supply Chain Efficiency and Improving Patient Safety Through Global Standards

Baxter endorses and strongly supports the GS1 standards for healthcare.  Baxter believes that industry-wide adoption of these standards will improve patient safety and will drive increased efficiency and integrity within the healthcare system.

To this end, Baxter is actively working with industry partners to implement GS1 standards for healthcare.  These standards include standard location numbers that simplify the way customers order and are invoiced for products and standard product numbers that make it easier to consistently identify Baxter products.

Industry adoption of GS1 healthcare standards will help to ensure that our products are moved correctly and efficiently throughout the supply chain.  Ultimately, adoption of these standards will enable healthcare professionals to ensure they are administering the right product to the right patient at the right time.