OPERATING ROOM Critical care in critical times
COVID-19 proves Supply Chain partnership pivotal during pandemic by Kara Nadeau
ost U.S. healthcare organizations have disaster preparedness plans in place to address infectious disease outbreaks, man-made or natural disasters, bioterrorism or other events that result in a surge in demand for patient care. But COVID-19 aka “Coronavirus” has unleashed an epidemic that has left the U.S. healthcare industry reeling. Surging cases and supply shortages are necessitat- ing close collaboration among critical care clinicians and supply chain teams to direct supplies, capital equipment and services to where they are most needed. In this article, HPN presents perspectives from clinicians, supply chain professionals, manufacturers and technology providers on the importance of critical care/supply chain collaboration to combat COVID-19.
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Recognize and address potential shortages now Mike Schiller, Senior Director of Sup- ply Chain, Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AH- RMM), acknowledges how hospitals are currently facing respiratory equip- ment shortages, including N95 respirators, ventila- tors and accessories. He says personal protective equipment (PPE) includ-
Mike Schiller
ing gowns, gloves and respirator masks, ventilation and other drugs, and blood supplies are the most affected supply categories. “AHRMM is actively working with healthcare leaders, associations, suppliers and distributors from across the healthcare field, sharing information and solutions around resource allocation conservation, supply continuity and availability,” said Schiller. “Healthcare organizations are encouraged to work with their suppliers, understand product shortages and alloca- tions they may be facing or expect to face, and identify and implement conservation measures, as well as work with their state and local emergency management agen- cies.”
Schiller recommends that healthcare organizations visit the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) CO- VID-19 websites, which offer a variety of resources and information. This includes CDC’s Healthcare Supply of Personal Protective Equipment, and Strategies to Optimize the Supply of PPE and Equip- ment, and the FDA’s Emergency Use Au- thorizations website pages. AHRMM also has a comprehensive COVID-19 resource page, which includes links to numerous agency resources and information, vetted and approved non-traditional suppliers, and collaborator associations and orga- nizations.
Karen Conway, former chair of AHRMM and Vice President, Healthcare Value with GHX, commends supply chain pro- curement leaders who are actively seeing qualified alternative products and suppliers as their usual sources are unable to fully support their needs. In her April 2020 Healthcare Pur- chasing News article, “How standards support supply continuity,” she notes that unique device identifiers and classification systems can facilitate identification of alternative products, but she adds, collaboration with clinicians is key. Conway recommends making sure clinical leaders have access to evidence about alternatives so they have confidence that unfamiliar products are both safe and suitable for purpose.
Karen Conway Suppliers ramping up
Healthcare suppliers, particularly those that produce respiratory and PPE prod- ucts, are increasing their manufacturing capabilities to meet growing demand worldwide. For example, Dräger has already significantly expanded its produc- tion capacities and is working to expand them even further as demand continues to grow.
According to a recent press release, the
company’s production facilities for respira- tory masks in Sweden and South Africa are working at full capacity and are running around the clock. In medical technology, for example, they are currently producing
18 May 2020 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
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almost twice as many ventilators as before. Dräger has also implemented an innova- tive work organization and working time models with employees, which provides necessary flexibility to react to the high volume of orders.
“Our technology for life is needed now more than ever,” said President and CEO for Dräger in North America, Lothar hielen. We are seeing a significant in- crease in global demand for our ventilators, the corresponding accessories and personal protective equipment. We are doing everything in our power to fulfill our social responsi- bility to provide for society
- worldwide. The fact that we invested in a future-oriented factory with state-of-the- art industrial production methods several years ago is bolstering the success of our efforts.”
Stefan Dräger, Chairman of the Executive Board of Drägerwerk Verwaltungs AG, stated in the press release: “I am aware that despite all our efforts we can only partially meet the current demand in the world. And believe me, we would like to do even more. But I can assure you: We do what we can. Our thoughts are with the
Stefan Dräger
doctors, nurses and rescue workers who are currently doing a great job for patients and society at large.”
Changes in clinical mindset John Cherf, MD, MPH, MBA, Chief Medi- cal Officer, Lumere and CIOO of Chicago Insti- tute of Orthopedics, says COVID-19 is requiring clinicians to have a change in mindset better aligned with how supply chain allocates limited resources.
John Cherf
“Physicians are taught to do everything they can for every patient, but the current situation requires a much higher degree of deliberation on how we deploy limited resources,” said Dr. Cherf. “That is not
Lothar Thielen
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