HIDA advocates expediting medical supplies through ports and transportation
By Linda Rouse O’Neill
Transportation disruptions have become major international news – ships anchored off ports for weeks, rising transportation costs, delivery delays. HIDA’s message to policymakers is that these challenges are a major healthcare issue, threatening providers’ ability to care for patients. Our recommendation: find a way to “fast pass” medical supplies through the many current supply chain bottlenecks.
HIDA members reported an average delay of 38 days has been added to the transportation of medical products. To put that in a holiday perspective, medical supplies arriving at a U.S. port on Christmas Eve won’t be delivered to hospitals until February 2022.
Life-saving medical supplies should be given priority over other cargo waiting outside U.S ports. HIDA has taken that message to the highest levels of the federal government. We’ve been working with the White House Supply Chain Disruption Task Force to identify impactful ways to expedite medical supplies and equipment. We’ve written to the Secretaries of the Departments of Transportation, Commerce and Agriculture, urging them to prioritize critical medical supplies and align transportation operations to support healthcare during public health emergencies. The Administration’s recent work to align the ports to 24/7 operations is an essential first step to alleviate transportation bottlenecks. But more needs to be done.
HIDA has advocated for a Critical Cargo Program that would essentially create a “fast pass” for medical supplies at our ports to prioritize critical medical supplies for container access and sea freight space and for priority handling of medical supplies at ports.
Such a “fast pass” system was used early in the pandemic, when containers of medical products were successfully peeled off at U.S. ports for expedited transport. This private sector initiative was effective, but short-lived. It urgently needs to be revived and expanded to rail and truck transportation.
We’re also collaborating with other private sector stakeholders to investigate additional solutions. And progress is happening. Port leadership, terminal operator SSA Marine and its technology partner eModal are working to find solutions to today’s supply chain challenges, starting with a pilot program to implement a “fast pass” system at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.
We invite you to visit our webpage to learn more about transportation challenges and HIDA’s efforts and access infographics and other resources. Together, we are finding ways to get medical supplies and equipment into the hands of healthcare providers and frontline workers more quickly and efficiently.
Linda Rouse O’Neill, Vice President, Supply Chain Policy and Executive Branch Relations, Health Industry Distributors Association