First, we want to thank everyone on the front lines fighting this pandemic. We acknowledge the sacrifices you are making to protect your own families while meeting your obligations to patients.
Across the global healthcare industry, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted healthcare providers, suppliers, and patients. Some areas of the world are beginning to re-open and returning to elective procedures for patients who have been waiting for treatment.
Here are answers to some common questions our customers have about our response to this global health crisis and how we will continue to support you and the patients you serve.
Product supply
- All Cook Medical manufacturing and delivery sites have remained operational throughout the pandemic.
- We increased manufacturing levels in response to an unprecedented demand for airway management devices from physicians working in ICUs and emergency rooms at this time.
- To prepare for a more normal state of healthcare operations, we gathered feedback and data from around the world to understand what medical devices you will need most.
- We have increased manufacturing levels by up to 25% to build up inventory and ensure that we are ready when you are.
- Our global procurement team is collaborating with suppliers to secure a stable raw material supply chain to support increased manufacturing.
Clinical and customer support
- Our clinical sales teams have continued to provide case support during the pandemic under local hospital guidelines.
- As your facilities begin to re-open, we will adapt to your new visitor protocols to keep face-to-face interactions safe.
Employee and Community Support
- We have implemented policies and procedures to create a safe working environment for our employees, who are living our values each day during this difficult time.
- We are especially grateful for our clinical sales, customer support and delivery, and manufacturing employees, who have demonstrated their commitment to customers every day. We’ve recognized those employees coming into work on-site day to build and deliver devices with a thank you bonus.
- Cook companies and employees have jumped into action to donate PPE to healthcare providers and to make hand sanitizer for their local communities.
Focusing on priorities
Over the coming months, we will continue to focus our resources on what you, our customers, need most. In some cases, that means we will temporarily pause investments to concentrate on providing consistent product supply and delivery, as well as customer support. We are also moving forward with product development to bring forward innovative medical devices that serve unmet clinical needs.
As the world adjusts to a new normal, Cook Medical will remain dedicated to our mission to invent, manufacture, and deliver a unique portfolio of medical devices to the healthcare providers of the world.
Our Customer Support teams are fully operational and ready to help you with any questions. Contact your local customer support for more information.
March 25, 2020
Today, healthcare providers are on the front lines of a battle against a viral pandemic. It’s an extraordinary and challenging time as COVID-19 continues to impact more people around the world. As part of the critical healthcare system, we have a responsibility to serve physicians, nurses and patients. At the same time, we are also committed to protecting our employees and preventing transmission of the virus in our communities.
Our global response teams have prepared and are taking action during this health crisis. We have taken these steps to support our employees, our customers and patients:
Ensuring continued access to important medical devices.
We have implemented critical steps to protect our global manufacturing sites and delivery centres and the essential employees who work in those facilities each day. Every employee that can perform their job remotely is doing so and we have closed these facilities to outside visitors. We’ve implemented shift changes to address local school closures and we are closely managing our raw material supply chain. Finally, our manufacturing operations team is working to increase capacity for products that are most needed by healthcare providers right now, including Critical Care products used in ICUs where COVID-19 patients are being treated.
Providing consistent support to our customers.
Our clinical sales support teams are committed to supporting patients, clinicians, and procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic. In situations where hospital access is limited, our teams are using remote methods and technology. When critical support is needed, and hospitals allow, we will provide case support. Our global customer support and delivery teams are fully operational. They are answering customer calls and working closely with couriers to avoid delivery delays.
Preventing transmission to our employees and communities.
We recognize that the best way to fight COVID-19 is to slow down the spread and flatten the curve of the outbreak. That’s why we have postponed face-to-face trainings with groups of healthcare providers and restricted all international travel for our employees. We’ve made enhancements to our company-owned health plan to make access to care easier and less costly during this healthcare crisis. We implemented physical distancing with employees working on-site and continue to educate our employees on ways to protect themselves and their families.
March 12, 2020
A message to the healthcare providers we support,
We know that with the complex and ever-changing COVID-19 outbreak, you are concerned about protecting the health of your patients and your employees. Serving patients is a privilege, and we recognize our responsibility as a medical device manufacturer to support the medical community. We are executing global business continuity plans, and we want to share a high-level summary of our activities so that you can feel confident in our ability to support you during this situation.
First, we have global and regional response teams in place to maintain continuity of supply and service. Our customer support teams are able, if it becomes necessary, to work remotely to take your orders. We are also working closely with local government agencies and couriers to monitor the situation and make contingency plans to ensure we can deliver products. As a critical measure, we have identified priority products that are especially important to patient care or could be used in the treatment of COVID-19.
We have staffing and supplier contingency plans for our global manufacturing sites as well. It is important to note that we are not experiencing disruption in our operations or delivery of products due to COVID-19 at this time.
Lastly, we have taken steps to ensure that our employees understand and follow preventative measures recommended by local health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO). We have implemented employee travel restrictions and postponed events. However, our representatives are here for you and want to help you in whatever capacity you need.
We recognize our role and responsibility in the healthcare ecosystem, and we take this level of planning very seriously. We all share the same goals in this global health situation, which are to protect the health and safety of employees, to maintain product supply, and to ensure that patients receive the care they need. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates and guidance as needed.
In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact your local customer support team.