Michigan’s Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition Communicates Plan to Deliver Essential Personal Protective Equipment to Health Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Michigan
March 2020

Situation:

The rapid spread of COVID-19 and disruption of the supply chain caused a dramatic and substantial shortage in the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) starting in March 2020. The demand far exceeded the amount on hand and the amount health care facilities were able to receive from vendors. Those with the greatest need were hospitals, emergency medical services (EMS), long-term care, home health care, law enforcement, prisons/jails, and dentists. This was a nationwide issue, but Southeast Michigan was hit particularly hard by supply chain issues.

Response Activities: 

The Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition worked in
close conjunction with the local jurisdictional
authorities and a plan was put in place for the County Emergency Management organizations to take t​he lead for the warehousing and distribution of the PPE. Macomb, Oakland, and St. Clair counties implemented ​a process forstorage, communication, ordering, staffing, and distribution. The organizations worked with their county public health departments, along with​ the Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition.

The Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition communicated the processes to the health care facilities and posted the process on their website. The Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition also hand​led numerous phone calls and requests, as well as directed individuals to the website. When the Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition received shipments from the State, shipments were received by Oakland County and allocated to the three counties by the Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition. This process has proven to be effective and still utilized today.

Impact:

Through the outstanding collaboration and cooperation of the three counties, the health care facilities within the Region 2 North Healthcare Coalition and many others were able to order and receive much-needed PPE. The PPE was essential for the response, health, and safety of the first responders, first receivers, clinical and support staff, among many others. The work of county emergency management, public health, materials management, and logistics organizations was— and continues to be— exceptional and much appreciated. This could not have been made possible without the efforts of the Michigan State Police, State Emergency Operations Center, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Community Health Emergency Coordination Center, and Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response.

This story was developed and submitted by the Amber Pitts, the HPP Coordinator for the state of Michigan.