NY pharmacies depend on state’s supply chain partnership
Since its peak in April, New York’s number of new COVID-19 cases has declined significantly. However, our state’s fight against it is far from over, and our long-term recovery demands renewed protections and support for our at-risk healthcare industry.
We can’t take our foot off the pedal. Rather, as states nationwide deal with the virus, our lawmakers and healthcare leaders must work in tandem to address the new set of challenges that lay ahead.
As a pharmacist and former lawmaker, I know that the healthcare industry we see is more than just the sum of its parts. Its success depends on communication and responsive action, not just in our hospitals and pharmacies, but in the halls of our statehouse.
Working as a pharmacist throughout the pandemic, my immediate focus has always been to ensure we remain stocked with the products our patients depend on. Our state’s pharmacies have been quick to adapt, aided by a resilient supply chain and responsive government leadership.
Much of the work that went into saving our practices and keeping our shelves stocked during the peak of the virus happened out of the public eye. Our healthcare system is as complex as it is calculated, an intricately-woven web of pharmaceutical makers and distributors behind each of our nation’s pharmacies and medical practices.
Like any retail setup, our nation’s pharmacies depend on suppliers to stock their shelves and ensure the integrity of their products. During the crisis, distributors have played a crucial role in meeting our healthcare needs. As parts of our country ran low on high-demand medications and critical medical equipment, the insights provided by wholesale distributors, in collaboration with the entire healthcare system, helped recognize these pressure points and address shortages.
Crucial changes helped hold our supply chain together. Early on, pharmacies were given the emergency guidance required to coordinate our supply of needed medicines across state lines, and we were able to coordinate with manufacturers licensed outside of NY.
Guidance from the state also allowed NY’s pharmacies to increase the capacity of our medical system by expanding telehealth services and rapidly scaling-up online prescription renewals. Even smaller steps, including authorizing for pharmacies to compound hand sanitizer, have made a difference.
The partnership of our state government and each piece of the medical supply chain has allowed us to allocate critical medicines where they’re needed, averting the worst of the coronavirus crisis. As we continue to reopen, the Governor and all of our state’s lawmakers must continue to support the healthcare industry as New York charts its path to a full recovery.
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