Covid-19 healthcare supply chain innovations with NSHA: decision-making for agility and responsiveness

持续的冠状病毒（COVID-19）大流行给加拿大和世界各地的医疗保健系统及其供应链带来了巨大压力。 在找到有效的治疗方法和疫苗之前，已采取措施减少污染和减缓疾病的传播，这些实际距离措施降低了重要医疗和防护用品的生产和分销能力，如消毒器、个人防护设备和洗手液。 这些产品必须通过一个由省、地区和地方卫生当局、仓库和补给站组成的复杂网络，从采购点（机场、港口和战略储备）向医院和疗养院分发。 医疗服务提供者正在对其供应链进行重大变革。 这些变化包括增加新的COVID-19相关设备和供应SKU，简化材料和设备的分配，接受和管理捐赠物资，为配送车队增加设施和车辆，以及各种其他措施。 由于当前医院环境和需求的快速变化，这些变化正在以前所未有的速度发生。 正在利用最佳做法、经验和临时决策，以尽可能确保这些变化的无缝结合。 研究人员有机会通过专家咨询和供应链定量建模来支持这一过程，以确保敏捷性和响应能力。敏捷性和响应能力将确保这些稀缺、高价和关键的供应品得到适当的分配，以便它们能够及时到达最需要它们的地区、社区和医院。

The ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has greatly stressed healthcare systems and their supply chains in Canada and around the world. Measures have been taken to reduce contamination and slow the spread of the disease until effective treatments and vaccines can be found. These physical distancing measures have reduced production and distribution capacities for critical medical and protective goods such as ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), hand sanitizers. Massive quantities of these products must be distributed from sourcing points (airports, ports and strategic reserves) to hospitals and nursing homes through a complex network comprised of provincial, regional and local health authorities, warehouses and depots. Health providers are responding with major changes to their supply chain. These changes include adding new COVID-19 related equipment and supply SKUs, streamlining the distribution of materials and equipment, accepting and managing donated supplies, adding facilities and vehicles to distribution fleets, and a variety of other measures. Due to the rapidly changing current hospital environment and needs, these changes are occurring at unprecedented speed. Best practices, experience, and ad-hoc decision-making is being used to ensure, as much as possible, a seamless integration of these changes. There is an opportunity for researchers to support this process through expert advising and quantitative modelling of the supply chain to ensure agility and responsiveness. Agility and responsiveness will ensure proper distribution of these scarce, overpriced, and critical supplies so that they can reach regions, communities, and hospitals that need them most in a timely fashion.