Detecting constraints in supply chain reengineering projects: Case study of data and process integration in a hospital pharmacy

Abstract

This paper discusses how messy data may be a hidden failure factor that Business Process Reengineering (BPR) projects typically cannot detect during the planning phase. Our case study deals with Supply Chain Management (SCM) within two major urban hospitals, involving $2 million in minimum stocks for drug inventory. Our project addresses the feasibility of the hospital's data warehousing integration, especially at the stage of Extract, Transform, and Load (ETL). We conclude with a proposed system architecture audit and verification method that may serve to guide reengineering project planning and execution.