INDUSTRY RESPONSE
AHRMM Senior Director to supply chain leaders:
Review and implement CDC strategies To help answer questions on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the U.S.
associations, suppliers, and distributors
healthcare supply chain, The Journal of Healthcare Contracting reached out to Michael Schil-
from across the health care field, sharing
ler, CMRP, senior director, Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Manage-
information and solutions around resource
ment (AHRMM), a professional membership group of the American Hospital Associa-
allocation conservation, supply continuity
tion (AHA). The following were his responses from the early spring.
and availability. JHC: What do supply chain leaders need
Healthcare organizations are encour-
The Journal of Healthcare Contracting:
to know about the supply and distri-
Can you provide us with some insights
aged to work with their suppliers, under-
bution of the coronavirus test kits?
into what is going on at a national level
stand product shortages and allocations
Schiller: Supply chain leaders should
in the U.S. healthcare supply chain?
they may be facing or expect to face, and
work closely with their laboratory depart-
Michael Schiller: The FDA issued an
identifying and implementing conservation
ment and staff on the procurement and
Emergency Use Authorization for use of
measures, as well as work with their State
inventory levels, and management of the
NIOSH approved N95 masks to supplement
and Local emergency management agencies.
COVID-19 test kits.
the CDC has issued strategies for optimizing
JHC: How is the government
JHC: How are you advising hospitals
the supply of N95 respirators. A checklist
coordinating with providers, GPOs,
and health systems to navigate any
for healthcare facilities and utilization
associations, etc.? What are the
supply disruptions?
of N95 masks beyond the manufacturer
conversations like?
Schiller: First and foremost we recom-
designated shelf life can be found at
Schiller: AHA has coordinated a number
mend healthcare organizations visit the
www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/
of calls with healthcare executives, regula-
CDC COVID-19 website (www.cdc.gov/
respirators-strategy/index.html.
tory agencies, State, Local and Metropoli-
coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html) to ac-
healthcare organizations’ mask inventory, and
The CDC has also
tan Hospital Associations.
cess the resources and information they
stated that based on local
All conversations have been
have compiled. We are encouraging supply
and regional situational
extremely collaborative,
chain professionals to review and imple-
analysis of PPE supplies,
focused and engaging.
ment the CDC strategies for the extended
facemasks are an accept-
use and limited reuse of N95 filtering face
able alternative when the
JHC: What product
piece respirators in the healthcare setting
supply chain of respirators
categories are most
and, review the surgical N95 masks that
cannot meet the demand.
affected by COVID-19?
have been approved for use. For a com-
More information regard-
Schiller: Personal protective
prehensive listing of the NIOSH approved
equipment (PPE) including
masks visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/topics/
gowns, gloves, and respirator
respirators/disp_part/respsource3surgi-
gov/coronavirus/2019-
masks, and blood supplies
caln95.html. Lastly we encourage reviewing
ncov/infection-control/
are the most affected catego-
the CDC’s strategies for optimizing the
ing these recommendations can be found at www.cdc.
20
Michael Schiller
control-recommendations.html?CDC_
ries. It has been projected that there are over
supply of N95 respirators; crisis and alter-
AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.
1,900 medical/surgical items and pharma-
nate strategies by visiting www.cdc.gov/
cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-
ceutical items on allocation. AHRMM is
coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/respirators-
ncov%2Fhcp%2Finfection-control.html.
actively working with healthcare leaders,
strategy/crisis-alternate-strategies.html.
Special Issue 2020 | The Journal of Healthcare Contracting
