2010 was a terrible year for hospitals, in terms of their inventory management. Across the country, their stock of more than 200 types of medicine fell to dangerously low levels. Just about every hospital or healthcare organization had at least one drug shortage, and 82 percent delayed treatments for patients. Why? Because they didn’t have the medicine they needed, according to an American Hospital Association survey.1
Of course, 2010 was a long time ago. Not that it’s not important. But the fact is that we’ve recently been through an experience that has put previous emergencies to shame. You might even say it’s unprecedented. That’s right. We’re talking about COVID-19.
The Covid pandemic certainly impacted hospitals and entire nations. If nothing else, it showed the importance of inventory management in hospitals. Not just to hospitals, but to every type of business. Without effective inventory management, medical supplies can’t make it to their destinations. So it’s definitely an important topic to address. It’s just interesting that most of the points that were so critical a decade ago are still exactly as pertinent to today’s crisis.
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