During the current hurricane season, healthcare providers should brace for supply chain disruptions, according to the FDA.
The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to November 30, is expected to be worse than the previous year's season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The FDA recommended that medical device stakeholders, including hospitals, suppliers and distributors, should hone their natural disaster contingency plans.
Other than potential disruptions to patient care because of supply delays, "medical devices may be exposed to fluctuating power, contaminants or unusual levels of heat or humidity" during emergencies.
Here are the FDA's suggestions:
Healthcare providers should work with leading distributors to ensure constant communication about potential shortages or delivery issues. They should also create a list of preferred secondary distributors and be prepared to coordinate conservation measures without compromising quality of care.
Medical device manufacturers are advised to identify which regions are susceptible to severe weather-caused disruptions, identify critical suppliers and sterilization factories that could be hit by natural events, consider shipping finished products to other facilities before a forecasted hurricane, and safeguard for continuity of business operations.
Distributors should bulk up inventory in warehouses and facilities in areas most susceptible to severe weather. The FDA also recommends these companies strategize how to communicate with customers during a severe weather event.