Did you know that, each spring, the FDA warns health-care providers, distributors, and manufacturers to be prepared for supply chain disruptions during hurricane season (June through November)? While this is a yearly event, it's not one that's given a lot of attention in the dental community.
The COVID-19 pandemic made everyone in dentistry-and the general public-familiar with the issue of supply chain disruption and shortages. In the early days of the pandemic, one of the main reasons dentistry was ordered to shut down was to preserve PPE for hospitals and fears related to aerosol transmission of COVID-19. The pandemic exposed vulnerabilities in the US supply medical chain that left lasting memories on dental professionals practicing at the time.2 While disruptions due to weather are a very different scenario, it's good to be prepared. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (you probably know it as NOAA) predicted hurricane season will be more severe than normal.3
Being proactive is key
To minimize negative patient outcomes, the FDA encourages all device stakeholders to make adequate preparations in the event of a supply dearth. This doesn't necessarily mean you should assume the worst-but rather, be ready in case your office runs out of what it needs.
So, how should you prepare? The FDA has a few suggestions:1
1. Communicate with supply chain partners or anyone else who may be able to offer resources and assistance during an emergency
2. Stockpile essential materials to soften the blow of a potential disruption
3. Assess how additional risk factors (tornadoes, wildfires, an uptick in COVID cases, etc.) will affect your supply chain
4. Identify various delivery locations and subsequent routes as a failsafe
5. Develop a contingency plan with distributors
6. Set conservation measures and workflow modifications to avoid overconsumption in the case of an emergency
You may also want to formalize supply expectations with distributors by creating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Ultimately, any preventative measures can help both your practice and your patients in the long run.
How shortages can affect patient care
During the pandemic, many offices reluctantly turned patients away due to a lack of PPE or local rules. As a result, patients that needed dental care were temporarily left stranded.4
In 2020, Illinois State Dental Society Executive Director Eric Larson had this to say about the national supply shortage: "Existing supply chains for dental supplies are very backed up right now... what could be considered routine could quickly turn into an emergency if it is left untreated."4
Although the supply chain shortage was perhaps more severe at the height of the pandemic, Larson's statement is still pertinent today.
The summer is a good time to take stock of your practice's preparedness for disaster of any kind; see the American Dental Association's helpful webpage.5
Even if your office is outside of hurricane territory, it's important to remember that you may still feel the effects of a supply shortage. After all, being prepared is never a bad thing; your patients may thank you for it later.
References
1. Emergency Preparedness and Medical Devices: Supply Chain Recommendations for Health Care Providers, Device Manufacturers, and Distributors. US Food and Drug Administration. Updated April 25, 2024. https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/emergency-situations-medical-devices/emergency-preparedness-and-medical-devices-supply-chain-recommendations-health-care-providers-device
2. Finkenstadt DJ, Handfield H, Guinto P. Why the US still has a severe shortage of medical supplies. Harvard Business Review.
3. NOAA predicts above-normal 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. May 23, 2024. https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/noaa-predicts-above-normal-2024-atlantic-hurricane-season
4. Dentists turn away patients amid protective equipment shortages. WJBC. May 26, 2020. https://www.wjbc.com/2020/05/26/dentists-turn-away-patients-amid-protective-equipment-shortages/
5. Emergency planning and disaster recovery planning in the dental office. American Dental Association. https://www.ada.org/resources/practice/practice-management/emergency-planning-and-disaster-recovery-planning-in-the-dental-office
