Many ASC leaders are having trouble accessing necessary supplies amid the pandemic. Here are three supply chain concerns for ASC leaders:
1. Access to personal protective equipment
The surge in demand for personal protective equipment left many ASCs struggling to get access. Critical PPE resources, like latex-free gloves and N95 masks, are difficult to locate at reasonable prices.
"Either it is on allocation and I don't have any allowed, or it is available but at three times the previous price," Diane Fogell, BSN, RN, director of operations for Peoria, Ariz.-based Sonoran Vein and Endovascular, told Becker's ASC Review.
2. Anticipating shortages
ASCs have had to arm themselves ahead of time for supply shortages. Andrew Lovewell, administrator at the Surgical Center at Columbia (Mo.) Orthopaedic Group, told Becker's ASC Review that while gaining access to PPE is easier for his practice, general supplies seem to have been pushed to the backburner.
Gail Oden, administrator for Milwaukee-based Northwest Surgery Center, echoed these sentiments, saying, "Trying to anticipate what the newest shortages in our supplies will be is an issue for us."
3. Dealing with allocations
Allocations make it difficult for ASCs to obtain necessary supplies. ASCs have less buying power when competing with hospitals for supplies, and some ASC leaders are having to devote more time and resources to look for supplies.
"Vendors are unsure if and when supply needs will be back in stock," Administrator and Clinical Director of Rome, N.Y.-based Griffiss Surgery Center Melanie Pogoda said, adding that it's more difficult to work with supply and implant vendors than it was before the pandemic.