Industry groups urge Trump administration to address PPE shortage
Healthcare providers are still asking the Trump administration for help securing personal protective equipment (PPE) as they continue to care for COVID-19 patients. Recently, the American Medical Association sent Vice President Mike Pence a letter over concerns about the availability of PPE and access to vital supplies such as disinfectant and hand sanitizer.
The AMA noted that these concerns are heightened as physician practices reopen to see regular patients, after temporarily halting elective procedures and routine care appointments. While more physicians are leveraging telemedicine to take care of some patients, the risk of infection will rise as offices reopen. These offices will need access to PPE and other supplies, which have been focused on COVID-19 hotspots for the last two months.
“As non-hospital physicians return to work and reopen practices, the need for these supplies is rapidly expanding to these other care sites,” the letter reads. … “We are hearing significant and growing concern from our member physicians that they cannot secure needed supplies to safely reopen and that they are unsure where to turn for further guidance and assistance. As such, we urge the Administration to work with us to provide additional assistance to these non-hospital physicians in securing PPE, disinfectants, and sanitizers.”
Specifically, the AMA asked the administration for help providing points-of-contact locally or within states to provide guidance for physicians to find the supplies they need through legitimate manufacturers or suppliers. The AMA also offered its federation of specialty and state medial societies to amplify availability information through a regional, state or local level clearinghouse. The letter concluded by urging the administration to continue working with the AMA to meet the needs of physician practices and keep staff and patients safe.
Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."