PRODUCTS & SERVICES
cold storage and the personnel on hand to administer the vaccines in rapid fashion. “Have there been challenges along the way? Of course, but it’s also been quite successful,” he added. Fleming highlights the enormous scale
and speed of the logistical response as being unprecedented and inspiring at the same time. He outlines the “herculean effort on all fronts” in three ways. To improve delivery speed: “Manufac- turers adjusted distribution networks to ship from new locations like manufacturing sites and added new carriers to their usual mix, while carriers prioritized shipments to ensure space was readily available,” he indicated.
To maintain the required temperatures: “Manufacturers designed custom shippers with insulation and dry ice and equipped shipments with GPS thermal sensors to monitor for potential issues; carriers ensured the availability of cold-chain trans- port; vaccination sites ensured they were equipped with cold storage solutions to keep vaccines fresh,” he noted. To ensure the return of the custom ship- ping containers: “Manufacturers include return shipping labels in each shipment and automatically trigger an email to the recipient after a designated period to remind them to return the container, greatly simplifying the process for them. They sim- ply hand the container to the carrier who transports it back to the pre-determined destination,” he said.
Stacking the deck Premier’s Jordan contends that while manufacturing capacity and supply avail- ability may be the biggest overall challenge in meeting current demand, distribution/ logistics represents a close second. “In order to receive COVID-19 vaccine, providers must first complete the ID 19 vaccine provider agreement with either
their local jurisdiction or their state,” he indicated. “The CDC allocates doses to the states/jurisdictions, who, in turn, allocate doses to individual providers. The vaccine allocation notification pro- cess is a ‘just-in-time’ process, and many providers have reported not knowing how many doses they will receive or are able to order until 24 hours before the order needs to be placed,” he continued. “This gives little time for the organization to schedule appointments, set up infrastructure for large-scale clinics, etc.” Still, Vizient’s Behlim remains sternly
sanguine and direct: “I do not believe distri- bution/logistics are a problem as long there are reputable pharmaceutical distributors handling the product,” she stated. Product availability and storage chal- lenges have exacerbated one another, according to Medspeed’s Crampton. “Limited information is being provided to non-acute facilities about product avail- ability and plans for distribution,” he noted. “At the same time, some non-acute facilities could not utilie the fier vaccine in meaningful quantities early on because of the extreme storage requirements and short shelf life.
“From a logistics perspective, distribu- tion of the vaccine includes moving the specially designed containers that main- tain temperature state and repositioning extra vaccine doses as needed based on demand,” Crampton said. “The greatest challenge with logistics is that the uncer- tainty around product availability leads to faster same-day logistics turnaround time requirements. Communication and track- ing systems are critical.”
Cardinal Health’s Marani cites competing players, priorities and processes as adding to stress levels.
“With primarily retail pharmacies responsible for distribution of the vaccine, staffing is a dominant issue, he said. This
also puts a strain on the remaining respon- sibilities of a pharmacist. It’s important to note the additional duties required for administering the vaccine. The pharma- cist must also monitor the patient for 15 minutes after administering the vaccine to ensure no immediate adverse effects. Often, patients choose to leave immediately after vaccination if the pharmacy staff has moved to the next patient.” Product selection can be challenging, too. atients may want a specific version of the vaccine, e.g., oderna, fier or ohn- son & Johnson,” he continued. “Patients register for the vaccine online and do not get preference of what vaccine they will be given. And, unfortunately, pharmacies can’t choose. There is currently little to no control of what vaccine will be given for the first dose at a nonacute facility. “Many patients struggle with the reg- istration process, including the online registration portals that are required in some states for scheduling a vaccination,” Marani noted. “These patients may have primary care physicians and would rather call their trusted physician and schedule a vaccination instead of navigating multiple websites and online portals.”
LTC facilities rely on retail pharmacies to administer the vaccine, so logistics and scheduling can create challenges, he added. Further, LTC staff often manage who receives the vaccine in coordination with powers of attorney. Vaccine storage can complicate matters, too, according to Marani. “This is similar to the approach for storing flu vaccines, he noted. “While current refrigeration storage for most facilities seems adequate to meet the COVID vaccine demand, there may be a need to purchase additional refrigeration units.” HPN
Read “Unfolding paper tigers during a pandemic response” at
https://hpnonline.com/21218116.
For COVID-19 vaccine administration, non-acute facilities need access in excess by Rick Dana Barlow
If one word could be used to describe the supply chain response to the pandemic, particularly entering into Year 2, it just might be “access.” During the first year, supply chain professionals and consumers alike
struggled to gain access to a cache of products, including disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer, personal protective equipment (PPE) and toilet paper. Now in a bit of an overlap, the second year adds the different COVID-19
vaccines into the mix. A variety of non-acute care facilities continue to struggle for adequate
supply, ranging from physician offices to retail pharmacies, urgent care centers, long-term care facilities, supermarkets and “mass vaccination
44 May 2021 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS •
hpnonline.com
centers” (MVCs), the latter of which sprout to accommodate demand surges and direct compliance in selected demographic areas. Many of these non-acute facilities may not harbor the logistics expertise
of their acute-care hospital compatriots. But they need it and have to obtain it somehow. Healthcare Purchasing News reached out to a number of supply chain
executives with non-acute logistics expertise to share management and performance improvement recommendations and tips. First up, establish partnerships. For Cory Turner, CMRP, Senior Director, Healthcare Strategy, Tecsys Inc., the possibilities abound.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
