SPECIAL FOCUS


This allowed us to better predict where we would need to move vents and how quickly we would use our inventory of PPE. This also allowed us to provide better information to the command center. Work- ing with our clinical leaders, we instituted this process to better manage our inven- tory and this helped keep product and equipment in the hands of our caregivers. The daily counts also helped us to keep track of product that was being supplied by the state or through donations. This product would not have been re ected in our ERP systems. Using this process, we ran low but we never ran out of needed supplies. Tip – We never factored in what was “on order” into our estimates. While we were receiving products, there were no guarantees. We managed the inventory we had on hand. Numbers were adjusted as product was received and in real time. Infl uential, instrumental leaders: I will


simply say that this was indeed a team effort. Everyone stepped up in different ways and many took on non-traditional roles. I think that early on, everyone was surprised at the speed at which things escalated and how fast supplies became hard to fi nd.  was pleased with the trans- parency of our partners at both Cardinal and Medline. They came through for us in many ways and were honest in telling us bad news. They also helped us in predict- ing some future shortages that allowed us some time to plan accordingly. On the other hand, there were some bad actors out there, trying to sell at price- gouging rates, counterfeit product or no product at all. I will say that we may have paid more than we wanted in some cases but we avoided the real scams. There is a special place in hell for the people that tried to profi t from this pandemic and an even lower level for those that stole pro- viders’ money. Finally, I will say that I have been in the ealthcare Supply Chain fi eld for -plus years now and I could not be more proud of the Supply Chain professionals we have here at Piedmont. They worked very closely with our clinicians and leaders. They had to fi gure things out on the  y and with information changing, sometimes, hour by hour. They stood up to the chal- lenge and worked long hours and many weekends to make sure our caregivers and patients had what they needed to do their jobs. They continue to stand up to the challenge, as our numbers increase for the second time. I feel the same way about all of the Piedmont Healthcare team


members. There is not complaining, there is compassion. Everyone is in this together. The goal is taking care of the patients as safely as possible for the caregivers. I am so very proud to work here.


Organization: Terrebonne General Medical Center, Houma, LA


Supply Chain Department of the Year: 2004 (No. 1)


Kathleen Gathers, Director, Supply Chain, Terrebonne General Medical Center, Houma, LA


Challenge(s) faced: The most challenging issue we faced at TGMC was the feeling of helplessness. There wasn’t enough knowledge about coronavirus to know how to treat it at the time. We knew it was respiratory-related so we ramped up ventilators and supplies, and looked at creative ways to intubate using clear shower curtains to prevent the spread of the aerosolization. Hearing from our clinical staff, their recommendations, and then searching for solutions was our role. Another challenging area was the alloca- tion process put into place by the distribu- tors. While understanding the need for it, New Orleans and the surrounding area was a hot spot and the communication to us was that PPE wasn’t available because they needed to go to other hospitals that weren’t affected by COVID-19 at that particular time. Solution(s) delivered: When COVID-19 started to make the news in January, we monitored what was happening world- wide. In February, we started to order a heavy supply of masks, gloves and gowns. We began to bulk-purchase other PPE and store in a small conference room, which grew into two conference rooms, and eventually a third  oor that wasnt utilized. We had 21 straight days in April where we ordered everything we could get our hands on and then placed orders on Saturday and Sunday thinking vendors were updating their online availability, and we didn’t want to wait until Monday morning. Being creative, [we were] think- ing outside of the box and buying from vendors who we normally didn’t purchase from. For example, our regular disposable stethoscopes were backordered, so we found really inexpensive ones that needed to be put together. It was “all hands on deck,” and we have a great team in place who really stepped up to the challenge. Infl uential, instrumental leaders: The entire Supply Chain Team at TGMC was


fantastic – Darlene Grimes, PSD Manager, Tara, Debbie, Steve, Macy, Calvin, Bill, Vernon, Pat, Xavier, Annette, Vicki and Dominique. We had the support of our Administration Team and provided them with daily updates of inventory on hand for critical items. Everyone pitched in and asked, “How can I help?” and our team provided excellent customer service to our staff. Cardinal and S2S Global were great from a distributor perspective, but I need to mention McKesson Medical. Not our regular acute care supplier, but our rep Johnny Bordes was extremely helpful in pushing orders through.


Looking ahead, we have taken a “count on yourself” type of thinking when it comes to PPE/supplies. Our hospital may have decent supply right now, but not knowing what the future holds, continuing to see shortages, having to rely on product coming from other countries, and [seeing] hospitals all trying to purchase the same supplies, [we know this] is not going to end anytime soon. We must continue to make sound decisions, keep lines of com- munication open with distributors, but at the same time become accountable and self-suffi cient.


Organization: Tower Health, West Reading, PA


Supply Chain Department of the Year: 2019 (No. 16)


Rita White, Vice President, Supply Chain, Tower Health, West Reading, PA


Challenge(s) faced: The COVID-19


pandemic created critical supply short- ages that impacted healthcare systems across the globe. As a result, supply chain teams faced such challenges as increased allocations on critical supplies and a lack of reliable ETAs for incoming product. Sourcing paths typically relied on were compromised resulting in a signifi cant reduction of the availability of critical supplies at the same moment both the demand and the signifi cance of the need peaked. Standard processes were unable to meet the challenge of the extraordinary circumstances, requiring new processes be defined and incorporated virtually overnight. Additionally, standard critical product became increasingly diffi cult to obtain, requiring new functionally equiva- lent products be identified, reviewed, and implanted as clinically acceptable substitutes. As these challenges were being addressed, the healthcare supply market was  ooded with “false” vendors who presented offers of supplies at exuberant


Page 16 hpnonline.com • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • September 2020 15


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