this a few times, but right now if you have a high risk exposure, meaning you were not wearing the right PPE when you were caring for a confirmed patient, you cannot work for 14 days minimum,” Stowe said. Once supply in teams have an adequate supply for the organization’s day-to-day needs, Stowe said the focus should turn to proper maintenance of that supply. “Not a stockpile of that supply, because that’s not going to do anybody any good, but building up a day or two extra worth of their supplies to ensure that there’s not going to be a break,” she said. Also, there is the human element to
“ Have really frank discussions with your distributor partners and say ‘This is what we need. Do you think you’ll be able to fulfill it? If not, help me find somewhere that can give me the supplies that I need.’”
think about. Supply chain teams should check in with their staff. Is their staff
46
mentally and physically doing okay? “Ev-
all those other public health measures
Visitor restrictions. The visitor
erybody’s stressed,” Stowe said. “Ensuring
we’re trying to implement now, it may go
restrictions that a lot of facilities have
that you’re supporting your team mem-
through 2021.”
been implementing are necessary, Stowe
bers through this long-term marathon
said. To that end, hospitals and health
is important. It’s not a sprint. This is a
systems can check that policies and
pandemic that’s going to go on at least for
Protocols to follow
procedures related to the appropriate
the next few months at a high level. And
Stowe recommended the following proto-
use of PPE are in place, that they are
I’ve seen forecasts from the CDC where
cols as they relate to infection prevention
being educated to and communicated,
if we don’t do the social distancing and
for healthcare facilities:
and that there are spot checks to ensure
Special Issue 2020 | The Journal of Healthcare Contracting
