Research Summaries

Back Medical Supply Chain Impacts of Pandemic Preparedness and Response

Fiscal Year 2021
Division Research & Sponsored Programs
Department NPS Naval Research Program
Investigator(s) MacKinnon, Douglas J.
Sponsor Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (Navy)
Summary In the wake of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic Commander, Naval Surface Forces U.S. Pacific Fleet(CNSP) is reevaluating current shipboard allowances of medical supplies/Personal Protective Equipment, PPE (masks, gloves, etc..), and disinfecting supplies (hand sanitizers, disinfecting solutions). This study seeks to positively impact COVID-19 response at the ship and fleet levels through an evaluation of notional modifications to authorized medical and shipboard allowances and prepositioned stocks to increase resiliency for the next pandemic. To accomplish this, we intend to first gather policy data concerning required shipboard Authorized Medical Allowance List (AMAL), including consumable supplies which are presently tailored toward mass casualty situations, not pandemics. We will review OPNAV, PACFLT, Fleet Forces, and Navy Medicine guidance regarding pandemic preparedness and response and will integrate our findings with the AMAL review process. We will also gather current CNSP After-Action Reports and Lessons Learned arising from the COVID-19 pandemic to understand likely usage rates and compare them with on-hand inventory. We will also examine available shipboard storage and determine how best to plan for both mass casualties and a future pandemic. We will also examine available pre-positioning sites and their storage availability to determine how best to leverage shore supply storage assets. This effort will then be explored and informed using either mathematical based, stochastic simulation or a multi-variate optimization leading to improved understanding and identification of weak and strong areas in our on-hand inventory readiness as well as our ability to accomplish recommended levels of resupply. Our findings will result in recommended minimum requirements for on-hand shipboard inventory (PPE, disinfectant, etc.) and determine the best pre-positioning of larger stocks ashore which can then be delivered to and sustain fleet assets though an extended pandemic. These revised inventory plans can then inform updated inventory and re-supply policy that can maintain readiness, support US Navy missions, and save lives.
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Data Publications, theses (not shown) and data repositories will be added to the portal record when information is available in FAIRS and brought back to the portal