Selling Ppe To Hospitals: Strategies For Success

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals. PPE includes face shields, gloves, head covers, goggles, glasses, shoe covers, gowns, and masks. The pandemic disrupted the supply chains for PPE, and hospitals faced shortages. As a result, hospitals have become more cautious about their suppliers and are closely scrutinizing vendors to ensure there are no disruptions in the supply chain. This includes examining where the raw materials come from, where the products are manufactured, and the distribution network. Selling PPE to hospitals is challenging due to complex supply chain issues, regulations, and fluctuating stock. However, it can be a lucrative opportunity for promotional products businesses, helping to offset the drop in other orders.

Understanding the market: Masks are the main category driving sales

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly influenced the personal protective equipment (PPE) market, leading to a surge in demand for protective gear. The healthcare sector, in particular, experienced an acute need for PPE, including masks, gloves, and gowns. Masks are the main category driving sales in the PPE market.

The demand for masks can be broken down into three main subcategories: respirators, surgical masks, and cloth or fabric masks. Respirators, such as the medical-grade N95 and K95 masks, offer the highest level of protection against both aerosols and respiratory droplets, which are the primary ways coronavirus is believed to spread. Surgical masks have lower filtration ratings and do not protect against aerosols, but they provide adequate protection against respiratory droplets. Cloth or fabric masks have the lowest filtration ratings, but they still offer some level of protection, depending on the materials and construction.

The pandemic has also disrupted traditional supply chains for PPE, forcing hospitals to seek alternative sources. This has created opportunities for promotional products businesses to enter the PPE market and partially offset the drop in other orders. However, selling PPE comes with its own set of challenges, including complex supply chain issues, regulations, and fluctuating stock availability.

As the pandemic continues to evolve, the demand for PPE in the healthcare sector is expected to remain high. Hospitals are becoming more cautious in vetting their PPE suppliers to ensure uninterrupted supply chains. This includes scrutinizing the source of raw materials, manufacturing processes, and distribution networks. Additionally, the increasing number of surgeries and stringent regulations regarding workforce safety are driving the adoption of PPE kits in hospitals and clinics.

Overall, the masks category, driven by the need for protection against respiratory droplets and aerosols, is the primary driver of sales in the PPE market. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of a stable supply chain and the need for domestic production to ensure the availability of critical protective equipment for healthcare workers.

Scrutinizing suppliers: Hospitals are vetting vendors to avoid disruptions

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced hospitals to be more vigilant about their suppliers and the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE). Hospitals have had to closely scrutinize their PPE vendors and suppliers to ensure there are no disruptions in the supply chain.

Hospitals have had to grapple with complex supply chain issues, RFPs, and regulations, as well as fluctuating stock levels and unreliable suppliers. As a result, they have become more conscious of where they are buying their products, with some seeking to expand their domestic manufacturers of PPE.

To avoid disruptions, hospitals are vetting vendors more carefully. For instance, officials at Trinity Health put together a framework to interrogate the risk posed by any potential suppliers. They examine where the raw materials come from, where the products are manufactured, and the supplier's distribution network. Hospitals are also demanding that payment will be on delivery, vetting referrals, and identifying where the stock comes from.

Vendor vetting is a challenging but crucial process for hospitals. It involves assessing financial risks, such as ensuring vendors have proper insurance, and legal risks, such as reviewing contracts with an attorney. Hospitals must also consider the potential for community system disruptions and ensure vendors have the necessary credentials and licenses.

By implementing rigorous due diligence, hospitals can ensure a steady supply of PPE and avoid the risks associated with unscrupulous or unqualified vendors.

Building trust: Hospitals seek reliable, long-term partners

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals, with health systems facing shortages and supply chains becoming overwhelmed. This led to hospitals and health providers seeking new suppliers, including promotional product companies, to meet their needs. However, this transition was not without its challenges, and hospitals had to carefully scrutinize their vendors to ensure there were no disruptions in the supply chain.

As a result of the pandemic, hospitals have become more cautious and conscious of where they source their PPE from. They are now more likely to scrutinize potential suppliers, examining where the raw materials are sourced, where the products are manufactured, and the supplier's distribution network. This increased scrutiny means that hospitals are seeking reliable, long-term partners that they can trust to provide a consistent supply of PPE.

To build trust with hospitals, suppliers need to demonstrate their reliability and ability to navigate complex supply chain issues, RFPs, and regulations. They must also ensure that their products are not only FDA-registered and compliant but also of good quality. Additionally, suppliers should be prepared for the possibility that hospitals may require them to demand payment on delivery and vet referrals to avoid unscrupulous sellers.

Building trust with hospitals takes time and consistent delivery on commitments. Suppliers who can navigate the challenges of the PPE market and provide quality products will be well-positioned to establish themselves as long-term partners for hospitals. By investing in relationship-building and demonstrating a commitment to meeting hospitals' needs, suppliers can establish themselves as trusted partners in the healthcare industry.

Regulatory compliance: Suppliers must navigate rules and quality standards

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a surge in demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) in hospitals and health systems. This equipment includes face shields, gloves, head covers, goggles, glasses, shoe covers, gowns, and hand sanitiser.

In the US, PPE is typically classified as a Class 1 or Class 2 medical device, with Class 1 defined by a lower risk and simple design, and Class 2 by a medium risk and more complex design. Class 2 devices also have specialty regulatory controls. To sell PPE to hospitals, suppliers must navigate rules and quality standards, including the following regulations and standards:

• In the US, the FDA has specific requirements for medical devices, including premarket notification that new devices are "substantially equivalent" to existing devices in terms of use, characteristics, and performance testing.
• The Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA)
• Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA)
• California Air Resource Board (CARB)
• CA Proposition 65
• Health Canada regulations (SORs)
• ASTM, ANSI, UL, ASME, CSA, SAE, CSPA standards

Hospitals have become more cautious about their suppliers since the pandemic, scrutinising vendors to ensure supply chains are not interrupted. For example, officials at Trinity Health examine their suppliers' raw materials, manufacturing processes, and distribution networks. Some states, like California, now require hospitals to maintain inventories of PPE, and hospitals are creating pandemic stockpiles to ensure products don't expire.

To sell PPE to hospitals, it is essential to be aware of and comply with the relevant regulations and standards, as well as to understand the increased scrutiny hospitals are applying to their suppliers.

Supply chain issues: Lead times, stock fluctuations, and import rules impact sales

Supply chain issues have been a major concern for hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, with lead times, stock fluctuations, and import rules impacting sales and access to PPE.

At the onset of the pandemic, hospitals and health systems faced shortages as their typical supply chains for PPE became overwhelmed. The surge in COVID-19 patients led to skyrocketing demand for PPE, and hospitals had to look beyond their usual vendors to meet this demand. This resulted in complex supply chain issues, with long lead times and unreliable suppliers. For instance, a Chicago-area franchise owner had to wait 21 days for a shipment of surgical masks from China, highlighting the challenges of importing PPE from overseas.

The pandemic also disrupted the usual supply chains, with promotional product businesses pivoting to the PPE market to offset the drop in their core business. This influx of new suppliers created a dynamic market, with hospitals having to carefully scrutinize vendors to ensure the quality and authenticity of the products. Hospitals had to navigate changing import and export rules, which added complexity to their procurement processes.

The highly competitive market for PPE during the pandemic also led to bidding wars, with some hospitals offering to pay higher prices to secure PPE supplies. This further complicated the supply chain, as hospitals had to compete for limited resources.

In response to these challenges, hospitals have implemented strategies to ensure supply chain continuity. Some hospital systems, like Trinity Health, have developed frameworks to interrogate the risk associated with potential suppliers, examining their raw materials, manufacturing processes, and distribution networks. Hospitals are also pushing for deeper diligence on their suppliers and exploring domestic manufacturing to reduce dependence on overseas suppliers.

The pandemic has made hospitals more conscious of their supply chains, and they are now more diligent in their sourcing strategies. While the immediate demand for PPE during the pandemic may have subsided, hospitals continue to focus on emergency preparedness and maintaining clinical continuity.

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