Beware the Storm: How Weather May Affect Your Dental Facilities

You would probably be surprised to learn that every spring, the Food and Drug Administration sends a warning to healthcare providers, distributors, and manufacturers about the upcoming hurricane season in the US, which usually affects supply chains in many production areas.

Although these instructions are sent annually, only a few in the dental industry pay much attention to this event. But this year, entrepreneurs should probably start doing so since the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a more intensive and severe hurricane season.

But let's save Global Warming analytics for another time and review some advice from the FDA about how businesses can handle climate-changing consequences.

FDA's guide list

The organization's website contains a set of advice – general recommendations are quite obvious but aren't pointless. Logically, parties involved in the supply chain should make a "Plan B" – find some alternative ways of supplying each crucial material, device, etc.; stockpile needed resources to maintain operations and services during a period of supply disruption; and you probably should formalize such agreements with a Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) or Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) – documents, allowing you to outline the responsibility of potential partners.

Also, the FDA's message contains a list of specific recommendations:

• Healthcare Providers are highly recommended to review their delivery locations and create an emergency plan, allowing the facility to change its supply chain immediately to prevent the formation of the absence of a particular source.  
• Manufacturers are advised to review their risk management plans and create a list of critical suppliers that can cover your facility's needs regardless of the weather.
• Distributors should develop communication plans with their clients and partners to inform them about all possible changes in distributing conditions and terms.

Effective risk management is necessary for sustainable business, especially in cases with inevitable conditions like natural disasters. So, it's better to do your own research on your supplier list to find out if some of them will be affected by the current hurricane season.