Moving Forward: Lessons Learned by the Federal Government From the Medical Equipment Supply Chain Crisis During the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Path to Supply Chain Resiliency

Baker, Emily

Student Work

Moving Forward: Lessons Learned by the Federal Government From the Medical Equipment Supply Chain Crisis During the Covid-19 Pandemic and the Path to Supply Chain Resiliency

Public

Healthcare supply chains (SCs) are a national security priority, as raw materials, intermediate goods, and finished products are produced and traded internationally before reaching consumers. The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that US healthcare SCs are vulnerable to disruption. It also showed how international networks expose a country to financial, diplomatic and commercial vulnerabilities when healthcare SCs rely on resources found in allied and adversarial countries. In light of Covid-related SC challenges, the US government is considering measures like increasing domestic production and closer collaboration with allied countries, to better secure access to healthcare equipment. This MQP reviews globalization of trade networks, outlines where certain medical equipment products are manufactured, and analyzes recent research by federal agencies on how to prevent healthcare-related SC issues in the future.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator