The American Hospital Association has launched a national initiative to secure millions of masks for the healthcare workers at the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.
The association will work to establish private sector partnerships to curb the shortage of masks in hospitals nationwide.
Renton, Wash.-based Providence, a 51-hospital system, launched the initiative on a state level in March. It gained support from several community organizations and local manufacturers, including furniture manufacturer Kaas Tailored.
Providence will continue the initiative in Washington, while the American Hospital Association will scale the initiative to cover other areas experiencing a sharp rise in new coronavirus patients.
"This challenge builds on the incredible efforts of Providence to bring this call to action to the entire nation," said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the association.