“The phrase “supply shortage” became common parlance this spring. At the beginning of the pandemic, most of the discussion centered on personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators. Soon, drugs and testing supplies joined the list of items at risk.
“As waves of new shortages crested, some health systems – with no way to receive adequate warning of an oncoming surge – felt they were caught flat-footed.
“What healthcare providers needed then – and will continue to need moving forward – is a reliable way to predict whether their supply needs will increase, decrease or level off in the future. With the right data, it’s possible.
“Health systems around the nation are now using technology to be better informed about how rapidly virus cases are spreading and the supplies they will need at any given point in a disease’s progression. This is critical to not only preparing for future waves, but also…”