Reflecting on the Pandemic: Key Lessons in Sourcing, Sterile Processing, and Infection Prevention

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic. According to a timeline from the CDC, after more than 118,000 cases in 114 countries and 4,291 deaths, the WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic on this day five years ago.

Five years ago, I was working for an investment research firm (I worked as a healthcare journalist from 2017-2019) and had been reading about “the Wuhan virus” for months and what that might mean for the global economy. I remember one evening in January walking my dog with my husband and trying to explain to him that COVID was more like SARS than the flu, little did we know at that time what was to come.

In 2021, I returned to healthcare journalism when COVID was still making major headlines across industry publications and major outlets.

Today, I’m reflecting back. I have three major thoughts across three of our verticals:

Sourcing and logistics

The pandemic had significantly negative effects on supply chains, One major lesson learned was the need for increased visibility. A 2023 study from EY said it well, “With the need for increased visibility across typically hundreds or thousands of suppliers, we are already seeing a shift from linear supply chains to more integrated networks connecting many players. Enabling this sea change are technologies such as IoT devices or sensors that provide valuable data on where goods are in the chain and their condition—for example, products for which temperature monitoring may be critical (i.e., frozen foods, vaccines or other medicines). Cloud based platforms for collaboration among suppliers and supply chain orchestration (i.e., control tower) also increased in terms of piloting and adoption.”

Post-pandemic, supply chains have seen a significant shift towards digital and autonomous technologies. According to the same EY study, the pandemic accelerated digital transformation in supply chain management, with 64% of executives acknowledging the increased pace of change. By 2022, it was clear that automation was rapidly becoming a key focus, with forecasts predicting that by 2035, nearly half of all supply chains would be mostly autonomous. This includes the use of robotics in warehouses and stores, autonomous vehicles such as forklifts and trucks, and even drones for deliveries. Alongside these advancements, artificial intelligence (AI) has become a pivotal player in supply chain management, helping to optimize operations, predict demand, and automate various processes. As noted in a recent article from our March edition, AI and automation are transforming supply chains, not just improving efficiency but also offering greater adaptability and responsiveness to changing market conditions, marking a new era of supply chain evolution post-pandemic.

Sterile processing

The sterile processing departments (SPDs) faced massive pressure during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the healthcare sector struggled with staffing shortages, high turnover rates, and the demand for sterilized instruments. These challenges were further exacerbated by the rapid need for sterilization, which often led to instances of insufficient processing, lost instruments, and a backlog of medical equipment. SPDs had to adapt quickly in order to support the influx of medical procedures, which required them to maintain strict standards of infection control while dealing with these unprecedented challenges. As a result, SPDs became a critical point of focus in the larger conversation about healthcare resilience during and after the pandemic.

In the post-COVID world, lessons learned from the crisis have led to significant changes in how SPDs operate. Much like the broader supply chain issues, the pandemic highlighted the necessity for better efficiency and more streamlined processes. A key lesson has been the need for modernization, which is why automation and data analytics have become essential tools in SPDs. As hospitals began ramping up surgeries again, the use of automation in these departments grew, helping to ease the burden on staff by speeding up processes and reducing the chances of human error. The integration of advanced technology, such as robotic sterilizers and automated tracking systems, has not only helped manage the increased workload but also improved safety and efficiency.

This trend is expected to continue, with SPDs becoming more technologically advanced as the demand for healthcare services continues to rise. Our March edition has an SPD automation story.

Infection prevention

During the COVID-19 pandemic, infection preventionists (Ips) were pushed to the forefront of infection control and had to adapt rapidly to new challenges including implementing rigorous sanitation protocols and guiding staff on proper personal protective equipment (PPE) use. Their roles expanded to include surveillance of infection trends, conducting real-time risk assessments, and establishing guidelines to prevent future outbreaks.

As healthcare systems continue to recover, the role of IPs continues to evolve. They are now focusing on maintaining awareness of hygiene and infection control while integrating lessons learned from the pandemic into broader public health strategies. IPs are increasingly involved in cross-disciplinary collaborations, leading efforts to strengthen infection prevention programs, improve vaccination initiatives, and ensure that the healthcare workforce is equipped to handle emerging infectious diseases.

And, of course, if you haven’t read it, our March edition features an article on how IPs are leveraging automation.