What’s worse than an internet outage? With so many connections to online applications, a disruption can prevent a wide range of activities, from transacting an online order to completing a simple task on the to-do list. But an internet outage isn’t the only problem causing wide-ranging impacts. Supply chain disruptions have created their own array of issues. And if your business uses labels to mark or ship products, guide medication dispensing, comply with safety regulations, monitor inventory and more, label material supply chain challenges may cause even more significant issues.

We’re reliant on our digital tools. They help us communicate, collaborate and improve the customer experience. And although these digital tools boost our business, they don’t work for every application. Elevating your brand, differentiating your products, streamlining processes, complying with protocols and performing basic business functions can’t be accomplished through digital tools alone. In fact, physical materials, like a well designed custom label, drive additional value, allowing you to:

With more than 4,000 labels that serve the needs of healthcare organizations, veterinary practices, manufacturers, distributors, professional services, and more, the United Ad Label catalog is more than just a listing of products. It’s a resource that you can use as a reference tool, to compare product options, answer common questions and save money.

What do 62 cargo ships waiting to berth off the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach mean to the average business? If you don’t purchase supplies from an offshore location, you may not think it means much. But regardless of whether you purchase labels from a domestic or international source, the 13,640,000 ton backlog of fully loaded container ships serve as a visible reminder that lead times and costs are increasing for a broad spectrum of supplies. And when those are the items you need to ship your products, identify IV lines, instruct medication usage and operate your business, supply outages are not an option. But there are ways to mitigate these issues. Take these 5 steps to minimize label cost increases and avoid shipping delays.

Companies like UAL stock hundreds of items designed for the unique applications found in healthcare, veterinary practices, manufacturing and distribution operations and more. But, when you need an item with your logo, contact information, a unique color or format or there just isn’t a stock label that meets your needs, it requires a custom label. And when that happens, what is your best option? When is it cost effective to use an outside source versus your own desktop printer to produce a custom label?

Medication without harm. Because the purpose of prescribing medication is to cure, halt, or prevent disease or ease symptoms, it seems like an obvious statement. Yet medication errors occur with thousands of patients each year in both inpatient and ambulatory settings. Further, the National Academy of Medicine estimates that 7,000 deaths occur annually due to preventable medication errors. Effective medication labeling is one way to combat adverse drug events. United Ad Label carries an extensive selection of anesthesia labels and flag labels for vials and syringes that help healthcare workers with effective medication dispensing.

On average, over 1.7 million community-based COVID-19 tests are conducted each day. And for a patient, it's a two-step process. First, a healthcare professional extracts a tissue sample and then in a few days the patient receives the test result. If it is positive, they start a treatment regimen. But, what patients don’t see are the complex steps in between and how those steps sometimes impede the speed and accuracy of test results.

How will COVID-19 crisis impact veterinary practice revenue? If you listen to news pundits, you will hear many different explanations about how it will impact the economy. For example, Goldman Sachs predicted that GDP will shrink by 35%. The Wall Street Journal wrote about a “swoosh” shaped recovery where the bottoming out process takes longer, but once the rebound starts it would be steady and gradual. But the fact is, no one really knows. Even economists find it difficult to accurately predict a recession or know exactly how consumer spending habits will change. So with the unknowns of the coronavirus impact far outweighing what we do know, it is difficult to predict what will occur. But, it pays to remain vigilant. Here are a number of simple ways veterinary practices can save money if the impact on your business is negative. 

Healthcare labels. They don’t make the list when C-level executives meet to discuss cost controls. And, because of a spend that’s less significant than medical devices or personal protection equipment, healthcare labels often don’t get attention from the supply chain team. But, like their higher expenditure brethren, when managed effectively there are steps you can take to impact costs and ensure effective patient care.

A single source does not automatically translate into reducing hospital supply chain costs. But the right single source provides you leverage to meet cost reduction objectives. From unit cost savings, SKU reductions, better material selection, waste reduction and more, an effective label provider can help you reduce costs and improve the service you provide to internal departments. But, is it worth your time? With numerous commodities to manage and other priorities that limit your time, does a single source healthcare label provider truly impact your costs and help you meet supply chain goals?