The Healthcare Manufacturers Management Council (HMMC), a U.S. trade association whose members are U.S. manufacturers of a wide variety of healthcare products, announces the launch of its COVID-19 Product Exchange site.

Members of HMMC and non-member healthcare manufacturers can list their company contact info and the products they have to offer to address COVID-19 needs. Healthcare providers, government emergency management agencies, and first-responder organizations can then search for manufacturers who can supply them the products they may be need.

Alternatively, healthcare providers, government agencies, and first responder organizations can post their contact info and list the COVID-19 needs they have, in an effort to match supply and demand opportunities outside of established relationships. “Healthcare providers, government agencies, and medical supply chain participants across the nation are now searching for supply sources outside of their normal supply chain and partner relationships, and in many cases don’t know where to turn,” says Janis Dezso, president of HMMC.

“When normal supply chain sources of PPE, infection prevention, and respiratory therapy products, as examples, are experiencing stock outs or long lead times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare and emergency agencies spend an inordinate amount of time and effort searching alternative sources one-by-one,” Dezso continues. “Our goal is to leverage the membership of HMMC with relationships they have in the healthcare community to pull together an exchange site to streamline that search process, in both directions.”

At the top of the site is a section for listing of any U.S.-based healthcare system or provider, government emergency management agency, first responder organization, or not-for-profit needing to purchase, or request donations of, medical supplies to fight the pandemic.

The next section of the site lists medical products manufacturer that provides supplies vital to frontline healthcare providers, first responders, and charities assisting people in need. They can list the COVID-19-related products they have to sell, or donate, along with the best way to contact their company. Both providers and suppliers will be vetted to ensure the exchange is putting together supply partners that can truly help communities in need.

Beyond creating the COVID-19 Product Exchange site to match suppliers with those in need on the frontlines, HMMC will be utilizing this space to provide resources to aid medical manufacturers in navigating the through the rebound and recovery phases. This includes relevant guidance, a centralized listing of contact information of emergency management teams in all 50 states, and educational webinars.