COVID-19
Resource Center
Breathe deeply: 4 considerations to stay ahead of the COVID surge
Customers have increased respiratory product purchases to deal with COVID-19 surge, and supply plans should include these over the next months.
UPDATED December 11, 2020
Supply access update
Supply availability
Supply availabilityAcross the country, demand continues to grow at 300% higher than traditional manufacturing and distribution volumes and has outstripped normal demand by 1000% for certain products. We continue to monitor inventory levels on an ongoing basis and do everything possible to get volumes to match COVID-level demand. While allocations remain on many categories, we will provide updates as needed.
- Facemasks
- PPE – Isolation gowns and coveralls
- Surgical drapes and gowns
- Standard and custom packs
- Hand sanitizer
- Exam gloves
- Nasopharyngeal swabs
Although factories in China and other parts of Asia have re-opened, many are operating with restrictions, and production and distribution continue to be slow. For example, we are seeing constriction in exam glove manufacturing due to a continued Movement Control Order to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Malaysia. At this time, factories overall supply chain there continues to be at about 50% of previous volumes.
Alleviating strain on the supply chain
Alleviating strain on the supply chain- Invested in air freight shipments for several months to accelerate PPE delivery. Ultimately, more than 25 million exam gloves and more than 50 million facemasks and gowns were air freighted, reducing manufacturing-to-dock time by 3-4 weeks.
- Globally sourced numerous new PPE options as “Spot Buy” opportunities to augment the PPE supply chain, including cover gowns, coveralls, face shields, facemasks and bouffant caps.
- Began reprocessing disposable isolation gowns to expand overall availability of protective apparel.
- For disinfectant wipes, the availability of materials (e.g. canisters and wipe fabric) continues to intermittently disrupt production. We continue to be challenged by the market-wide shortage of isopropyl alcohol, a key ingredient in several products. To mitigate disruption of your supply needs, we are offering substitutes based on availability. If the chemistry of the offered sub is not compatible with your equipment and surfaces, you may continue to order your original product, which will be fulfilled as inventory becomes available.
Account insight
Account insightMedline has been actively working to provide you visibility into products that are on allocation.
Log in to the Medline.com online catalog to see your allocation for each impacted item. After you are logged in, you will see the following on an item-specific basis:
- Your allocation quantity
- What has already been ordered
- How much more is available until the next reset period (the 1stof the following month)
We hope this helps provide some insight into your current supply status and helps with planning.
*This will be updated as new information becomes available.
UPDATED December 11, 2020
Enterprise response
Forward-looking relief efforts
10,000 employees working
round-the-clock
We’ve continued full operations since the beginning of COVID-19, with more than 10,000 employees in our domestic manufacturing and warehouse facilities.
Increasing hand sanitizer
production
In under a month, we restructured manufacturing operations in Wisconsin and Connecticut to supply a substantial volume of hand sanitizer and are now producing more than 400,000 bottles per week.
Increasing PPE production
Medline has substantially increased overall global production capacity for PPE products, in some cases by as much as 10x. Additionally, we’ve delivered more than 9 billion exam gloves, nearly 400 million facemasks, cover gowns, and isolation gowns to healthcare customers.
Maximizing delivery capabilities
Delivering nationwide at full capacity, our 1,000+ MedTrans trucks are deployed daily and maximizing delivery capabilities.
A message from our CEO
Thank you to Medline customers and all healthcare providers for their extraordinary efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic
Economic and social challenges at the center of the crisis
Why Medline’s response at home and beyond matters
Industry action
Cooperation, guidance and insights in the midst of a global pandemic
Since the beginning of the crisis, Medline has been actively coordinating with industry and government agencies and is contributing to national PPE distribution efforts in pandemic hot spots as part of FEMA’s Project Airbridge.
UPDATED December 11, 2020
Protecting our employees
Here’s an overview of some of the efforts in our U.S. facilities to support the fight against COVID-19 during these unprecedented times. Similar initiatives have occurred globally.
Webinar recap
Keep Current
Access your free demo of Surgical Center Toolbox to simplify your accreditation process as your surgery center prepares for post COVID-19 operations
Stay informed
Subscribe for the most up-to-date info from Medline’s COVID-19 resource center
- January 13, 2021How UC Davis became stronger during COVID-19
- December 15, 2020Addressing pressure injuries in nursing home residents during COVID-19
- November 19, 2020How two “Works of Heart” honorees are responding to COVID-19
- November 13, 2020Partnership enables Southeastern lab company to grow sustainably while supporting local communities
- November 13, 2020Suburban medical supply maker adapts to meet soaring demand amid challenges of a pandemic