End-to-end visibility vs traceability

Supply chain organizations in the public health space often aim to achieve end to end visibility and traceability. However, a lack of clarity on the difference between end-to-end visibility and traceability might lead to siloed approach resulting in duplicative efforts.

In the following graphic, we attempt to visualize the difference in scope between the two while acknowledging the overlap. In addition to the difference between end-to-end visibility and traceability it is worth also noting the difference in scope between global and local (national) level.

Supply chain organizations embarking on the journey to implement end-to-end visibility and traceability capabilities should prioritize which one to pursue first depending on immediate priorities. A prioritize choice between end-to-end visibility vs traceability helps optimize on resources that are usually limited in the public health space. For instance, if addressing the issue of falsified medicines is an immediate need, organizations should first prioritize traceability. On the other hand, if improving planning and efficiency is of immediate importance, organizations should focus on end-to-end visibility initiatives first and then move on to implementing traceability.