How should an ASC prepare for supply chain disruptions?

• A. Vendor management, alternative suppliers, standardization, and safety stock levels.
• B. Rely on a single vendor and eliminate stock.
• C. Ignore forecasting and demand planning.
• D. Hoard all items without standardization.

Answer: (A)

Preparing for supply chain disruptions means building resilience across sourcing, inventory, and product design. The best approach combines vendor management, alternative suppliers, standardization, and appropriate safety stock levels.

Vendor management helps you maintain reliable performance, clear communication, and documented contingency plans with suppliers. It gives you visibility into lead times, risk signals, and backup options, so you can switch quickly if disruption strikes. Having alternative suppliers reduces dependence on a single source, so a problem with one vendor doesn’t halt operations. Standardization lowers SKU complexity, making it easier to substitute items, streamline purchasing, and adapt quickly when substitutions are needed. Maintaining safety stock for critical items creates a buffer against delays and demand swings, keeping patient care and operating schedules on track.

Relying on a single vendor and eliminating stock creates a single point of failure and invites stockouts. Ignoring forecasting and demand planning leads to mismatches between supply and demand, compounding disruption effects. Hoarding all items without standardization wastes capital, increases storage needs, and makes substitutions and inventory management impractical when disruptions occur.