ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, created a worldwide need for supplementary PPE to protect frontline workers who were working tirelessly to save the lives of those exhibiting symptoms. At the same time, supply chains were interrupted due to mass reductions in their workforce who were affected by the disease. Factories producing additional PPE were hampered by these workforce reductions and were increasingly challenged to increase operations in order to meet the international demand. Local distributors were left with minimal supplies and supply chains experienced rapidly diminishing supplies of critical items, meaning they were unable to meet the needs of logarithmic increases in sick patients. This chapter details the changes that a small hospital-based supply chain team, responsible for supplying one of the hospitals at the epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis in New York City, made in the face of this crisis and how they effectively organized delivery and disbursement of PPE and critical supplies in less than 3 weeks. Lessons learned are included in this chapter as a guide for success of supply chain management during a large-scale, worldwide shortage in essential materials and equipment. © SBH Health System 2022.