Fast Pass: Accelerating The Medical Supply Chain

During the pandemic, transportation delays became a healthcare issue. HIDA research estimates that approximately 31,000-46,000 containers of critical medical supplies were delayed an average of 29 days throughout the transportation system. Tens of thousands of containers translates into literally tons of delayed medical products – a single shipping container can hold up to 3.5 million pairs of exam gloves, 187,000 surgical gowns, and 360,000 syringes.

By Wyeth Ruthven, Director of Public Affairs, Health Industry Distributors Association

ʯ Supply chain delays harmed patients. In one instance, a family was forced to repeatedly boil and sterilize the rubber tracheostomy tube their 18-month-old child relies upon to breathe, due to a three month delay in obtaining a replacement.

ʯ Supply chain delays harmed providers. In October 2021, hospitals around the country were so harmed by a shortage of crutches that they had to resort to asking the public for donations of gently used medical equipment.

ʯ Supply chain delays harmed distributors. One distributor in Northern California told the media supply chain delays forced him to buy medical products online in order to fill orders.

The medical products supply chain relies on predictable transport to communicate product availability to providers, allowing them to deliver appropriate clinical patient care. Delays have negative consequences for patients and public health.

That is why HIDA is working with Members of Congress to study a Fast Pass pilot program at key ports. Fast Pass is a solution to bottlenecks in the medical supply chain. It would identify containers of medical supplies, prioritize those supplies for container access and sea freight space, and use “peel off” capability for priority handling at ports and railyards.

Fast Pass has worked before. When the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach implemented a Fast Pass pilot program, they saw an improvement in the flow of medical products. Patrick Halloran, Director of Global Trade Logistics for Cardinal Health, credited the Port, shipping lines, terminal operators, dockworkers and truckers with pitching in to reduce the time of delivery of the much-needed medical supplies. “It’s great to see this come together as we all move quickly to prioritize getting products where they are needed in this uncertain time,” Halloran said.

Fast Pass has strong advocates in both the public and private sector. A report by the U.S. Department of Transportation recognized the need to “Develop a fast pass system to expedite global transportation of essential medical products.” The California Chamber of Commerce urged Governor Newsom urging the state of California to “identify and prioritize containers that contain medical supplies and to prioritize related routes.”

The best time to fix your roof is when the sun is shining. The best time to fix bottlenecks in the medical supply chain is when that supply chain is NOT straining under the weight of a global pandemic. In preparation for future pandemics, we owe it to providers and patients to ensure the smooth flow of medical products. Now is the time to adopt Fast Pass.