COVID Changes Everything

Distributor teams help providers respond to the pandemic.

Novel coronavirus has left many industries and the people that comprise them spinning in its wake. But the rapid spread of COVID-19 around the globe has made clear one thing – the U.S. supply chain is integral to the health and safety of the nation.

The advent of COVID-19 highlights the work HIDA and its members have been doing for years to ensure a secure, elastic supply chain and promote end-to-end visibility. HIDA and its members have been working on strategic planning and emergency preparedness to ensure medical devices get to the right people, at the right place, at the right time.

With the healthcare supply chain in the spotlight during the global pandemic, HIDA put together a number of resources for members, the healthcare community, and the general public to help inform and educate during a rapidly changing situation. Here are highlights of HIDA’s efforts during the height of COVID-19. For more robust content outlining HIDA’s activity, visit HIDA.org/COVID-19.

COVID-19 Resource Center

An information clearinghouse on the COVID-19 outbreak for daily supply chain news and resources of interest to distributors, manufacturers, and other industry stakeholders. Visit HIDA’s COVID-19 Resource Center at HIDA.org/coronavirus.

FAQ: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) In Healthcare

HIDA created an FAQ to explain how PPE is used in healthcare settings and highlight PPE issues related to COVID-19.

COVID-19 U.S. Weekly & State-By-State Report

HIDA Research & Analytics’ weekly report tracks the COVID-19 spread in the U.S. and provide perspectives on key measures impacting the medical supply chain. Visit HIDA.org/Chartbooks.

FAQ: Vetting Offers For PPE From Unknown Sources

HIDA prepared guidelines with references for determining if an offer is from a legitimate source with the ability to deliver. For the full FAQs, visit HIDA.org/coronavirus. HIDA President & CEO Matthew J. Rowan sent a letter to small business members, notifying them about the provisions in the stimulus legislation integral to their operations.

Economic Stimulus Package

HIDA’s Government Affairs team sifted through the economic stimulus packages signed by the president, identifying key language of interest to medical products distributors. The third legislative package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act requires:

• The National Academies of Science to lead a report on the health of the medical supply chain
• Additional reporting for device shortages
• The Strategic National Stockpile to include PPE and other ancillary supplies
• Emergency grants and forgivable loans

HIDA President & CEO Matthew J. Rowan sent a letter to small business members, notifying them about the provisions in the stimulus legislation integral to their operations.

For example, the Paycheck Protection Program allows small businesses to borrow from any SBA-approved lender to make payroll.

Letters To FEMA

HIDA President and CEO Matthew J. Rowan sent a letter to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, recommending that FEMA “provide the strategic direction needed to more effectively target PPE supplies based on greatest need.” The letter was cited in the Wall Street Journal, ProPublica, The Rachel Maddow Show, and CBS Evening News, among other media outlets.

HIDA and the American Health Care Association sent a letter to FEMA encouraging the prioritization of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the nation’s nursing homes and assisted living communities.

Executive Briefing | May/June 2020

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