Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions

Navigating Supply Chain Disruptions Combating supply shortages and delays to run a healthy practice

One of the keys to running a successful practice or ambulatory surgery center (ASC) is having the equipment needed to provide essential care to patients. However, supply chain disruptions stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and international affairs are leaving many locations struggling to procure necessary items.

Physicians have become all too familiar with the concept of shortages and delays. Backlogs formed during the height of the pandemic left many scavenging for personal protective equipment (PPE) and essentials. In today’s world, one where the fears of COVID-19 have somewhat waned in the eyes of the American public, physicians are now facing shortages of a broader range of equipment, leading many to adjust how they operate and deliver care.

“The list of scarce items is long,” a May 2022 Forbes article explains. “It includes latex and vinyl examination gloves, surgical gowns, laboratory reagents, specimen-collection testing supplies, saline-flush syringes, and dialysis-related products, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”

According to Abe Eshkenazi, CEO of the Association for Supply Chain Management, items often-used to treat patients previously had fill rates between 96% and 98%. Today, those rates have plummeted to around 80%.

“It used to be that hospitals would deal with 50 to 100 back-ordered items per day,” he told Forbes. “There are many institutions that now are dealing with 800 to 1,000 back orders per day.”

So how can practices and ASCs work to reduce the pressure of backlogged orders and supply constraints? According to a July article from Becker’s, one solution may be to move to a clinically-integrated supply chain formula.

Clinically integrating your supply chain is not a one-step process. Rather, it involves a cultural change throughout your practice or ASC. Benefits of this switch include reduced waste, lower costs, higher patient satisfaction, and a more informed staff.

How to Clinically Integrate Your Supply Chain

The cultural change begins with practice or center leadership. Leaders should evaluate the costs of items used in their location and consult with supply chain professionals to identify relevant alternatives that remain clinically acceptable yet cost efficient.

As the items are identified, practice or center staff should be notified of potential changes, and taught the costs of their supplies and how each change can help save money while continuing to provide high-quality care. Finally, data should be continually reviewed to adjust contracts, monitor compliance, and find new cost-saving alternatives.

Keep Staff Informed

One of the best ways to limit errors due to shortages is to ensure that each member of your staff is informed on how to prepare should a shortage of a valuable item arise. Preparation for shortages will help reduce stress levels within your location and maintain high standards of care. An open line of communication between staff and leadership, while always a valuable asset, can also help avoid bottlenecks while providing care and maintaining efficiency.

Supply chain delays will continue to play a role in the healthcare industry for years to come and understanding how to navigate stockpiles and alternatives during this time can help keep your location running smoothly.