August 17, 2022 – With the healthcare supply chain in an already precarious situation after the last couple of years, it feels as if any gentle disruption could topple the whole system. We saw that with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and could see it in China’s blockading of Taiwan.
All of these events showcase the fragility of the supply chain in the U.S., while driving home the need for domestic manufacturing. In his blog “How Long Are My Supply Chains?”, John Strong, editor of Frontiers of the Healthcare Supply Chain, writes “If you don’t have products readily on hand in sufficient quantity, it can result in lost patients and revenue. Moreover, shortages have added days or weeks to some patients getting an important diagnosis—something no one wants to go through or must wait for.”
Here are some key takeaways from John Strong’s blog:
- Have your most critical products identified. Strong writes, “We’ve learned that financial penalties for failure to deliver really don’t matter when patients cannot be treated and there are disruptions to procedures and patient care.”
- Work with distributors to ensure that they have backup supply plans in place – and if not, you need to start planning for potential disruptions.
- Identify at-risk items and collaborate with departmental leaders to ensure that reliable supplies or alternative products can be sourced.
- Plan important capital purchases, especially for medtech in the second half of 2022, and collaborate with your suppliers to ensure that product can be delivered later this year or in the beginning of 2023.