Connect

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) dominated the news nationwide. Here at UVA Health, the Supply Chain Management team quickly began intensive efforts to procure and manage this in-demand equipment. 

As Administrator of that team, Adam Momper, played a central role in ensuring we had adequate supplies of PPE, especially the N95 filtering facepiece respirator masks worn by frontline caregivers. Typically, these masks must be discarded after one use, and N95 supplies were dwindling as the need for them was growing exponentially.

An important turning point came In March 2020, when the FDA issued an Emergency Use Authorization that allowed Battelle Memorial Institute to decontaminate and recycle compatible N95 respirators as part of the national emergency response to COVID-19. UVA Health began participating in the recycling program in May 2020. Highly successful, the program will conclude at the end of March when federal funding expires.

Connect had a chance to discuss the recycling program and our N95 supplies with Momper, and below is what we learned.

What did the N95 recycling program accomplish?

Momper: Between May 2020 and now, we sent a total of 171,923 masks to Battelle, and 131,187 masks were returned for reuse, giving us a reprocessed rate of 76%. The recycling program not only helped ensure we had adequate inventory available for staff, but also saved UVA Health between $459,000 and $1.3M in supply costs.

What is our N95 supply situation now?

Momper: With new sources and supplies of N95 masks/respirators available and the number of COVID-19 cases trending down, we have an adequate supply of N95 masks without the need for recycling at this time. 

What actions do team members who wear N95 masks need to take as the program ends?

Momper: All N95 collection containers will be removed and team members should dispose N95 masks in the same waste receptacle as other PPE. 

What are your thoughts about the supply challenges we have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Momper: I’m glad that the toughest days are behind us. I’m thankful for the support of leadership and collaboration of the care teams that use PPE. And I’m tremendously proud of the Supply Chain team for their resiliency, effort, and commitment to ensuring needs are met during these unprecedented times.

What about going forward? Does the availability of adequate N95 masks and other supplies feel like a ray of hope, a victory?

Momper: Absolutely! With the global supply chain remaining highly disruptive, achieving stability with N95 masks certainly does feel like a win for the team and, most importantly, for our organization.