Why is the 2nd Annual Medical Device Supplier Quality Conference important to quality executives?
It gives a larger perspective on the various compliance needs down the supply chain. Companies need to exert visibility and control on their processes, which include suppliers, and here they can learn about the various solutions and methodologies that will help them succeed.
What initiatives are on the horizon at your organization for supplier quality in 2015?
Implementing solutions to help create great visibility and efficiency to not only control supplier quality, but also automate the process.
How has supplier quality evolved in the last several years?
Technology has become an integral part of the story. As companies become more complex, and the supply-chain gets larger, it is increasingly difficult to maintain a high level of compliance in a challenging market. Technology is helping to uncover the disconnect.
What are three key components that every quality agreement should have?
Quality standards, process alignment, and method of tracking and executing on responsive actions.
What is one successful communication strategy you have implemented with suppliers?
We’ve created a supplier portal in the cloud that allows us to push critical compliance processes to our suppliers, without allowing them access to our entire system. This allows them to participate in our process, without entering into our system.
Can you describe a supplier development initiative that has been mutually beneficial for your supplier and your organization?
Enabling this cloud portal has allowed for a faster and more direct method of responding to compliance issues.
How do you believe FDA expectations have changed with regards to supplier quality?
There has been a larger level of scrutiny on the entire supply chain, but it’s more about accountability; we see that the more FDA looks at the supply chain, the more they expect the brand owner to be accountable for their supplier quality, as well as their own.
ETQ is one of the distinguished sponsors of the 2nd Annual Medical Device Supplier Quality Conference.
