HSS take on global contrast media shortage

Earlier this year a world-wide shortage of organ imaging contrast media began affecting the healthcare system as a COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai caused manufacturing delays.  

The iodine-containing substance used in X-ray imaging, CT scans and angiograms, helps physicians diagnose medical conditions making it vital to patient care.

The HSS Procurement and Supply (P&S) team stepped up to the challenge and responded quickly to the global shortage to ensure our customers had sufficient supply.  

As the central point of contact for the WA health system, suppliers and HSPs, our P&S team took the lead on securing supply of contrast media for all of WA Health. Due to HSS’ involvement in this process, there is no longer a need to conserve contrast media in WA due to the stock on hand and supply availability that was achieved during this time. Sites are now able to return to business as usual or ordering and managing their own stocks.  

By responding to the shortage, HSS established strong working relationships with customers and suppliers, to ensure WA Health received the latest updates on incoming supply for WA and had clear visibility of the usage and stock on hand across the WA health system.  

Carina Wong, Category Specialist, said, “The work that we did would not be possible without the fantastic customers we dealt with. The global shortage in contrast media highlighted that we are all aligned in delivering excellent health care to the WA community.” The WA health system was focused on conserving contrast and reducing usage to ensure diagnostics services for the people of WA could continue.  

Manager Category, Equipment, Pharmaceuticals and Services, Kath Wimbush said “HSS’ response and management of the critical shortage has built trust in HSS’ capability to deliver supply chain certainty in uncertain times.”  

Although the team was able to resolve and avoid a shortage crisis, they have documented lessons learnt from this process to prepare for any critical shortages we may face in the future.  

This includes building and maintaining strong working relationships with suppliers and customers to resolve future shortages together.  

Understanding the use and importance of the product, who uses the item and how shortages impact the WA health system is important to continue to ensure data integrity for stock management. 

Carina says, “Being open to change and evolving situations, adapting, and cutting out inefficient processes, being clear and upfront in communications is central to helping us achieve our value of ‘We Promise, We Own, We Do’.”  

Well done to the P&S team and all our key stakeholders involved in this successful outcome.