SMI Announces New Tool to Help States, Counties, Regions, Providers and Suppliers prepare for the next Emergency
Kingston, MA (March 1, 2023): SMI®, a non-profit, community of healthcare supply chain organizations, announced that it has released a new tool, the North Carolina Demonstration Project Report to help states, counties, regions, providers and suppliers prepare for future pandemics and other emergencies. The report is based on learnings collected by a team of SMI members including Atrium Health, Novant Health, Concordance Healthcare Solutions, UNC Health and Deloitte, along with the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services, the North Carolina Healthcare Association, and ASPR’s Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). To download the report, free of charge, visit the SMI website at: www.smisupplychain.com/tools/smi-toolbox.
The SMI North Carolina Demonstration Project focused on understanding the processes that were in place at the national, state, regional, and local level in North Carolina to provide emergency support to hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE). Based on interviews with individual stakeholders and meetings, the team identified 5 key findings that healthcare organizations should focus on in advance of the next health crisis.
Nancy Anderson, Associate Executive Director of SMI said, “by focusing on these key findings, SMI believes the healthcare supply chain will be better prepared and have a more coordinated and effective response to future crises. We encourage healthcare organizations to share this tool with stakeholders in their states.”
Kimberly Clement, Healthcare Preparedness Program Manager at the North Carolina Department of Health & Human Services said, “through the creation of this report, we have built relationships with key local, state, federal officials, and hospital supply chain executives who will continue to meet on a regular basis. It is our hope that the lessons learned from the state of North Carolina will resonate with community leaders in other states.”
“Coordinating with partners from across the healthcare supply chain community helps improve communications and workflows for future emergencies,” said SNS Lead Public Health Advisor Bryan Heartsfield.
This report which outlines how the project was conducted and what the team learned through this multi-organizational approach aims to help improve emergency planning between various stakeholders. To download the report, free of charge, visit the SMI website at: www.smisupplychain.com/tools/smi-toolbox.
To learn more about SMI, its Board of Directors, and its community of members, visit: www.smisupplychain.com
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ABOUT SMI
SMI provides a nexus for healthcare providers, suppliers, and distributors to network and collaborate on innovations that drive meaningful improvements in supply chain agility, efficiency, and resilience. We provide a unique, non-commercial community where members forge long-term relationships as they work together to improve patient care. For more information about SMI, including a complete list of members, visit: www.smisupplychain.com.