Supply chain disruptions continue to affect American healthcare systems, drawing concerns about the ability to provide safe and effective patient care.
By Genni Burkhart
Five years ago, the world was facing an unprecedented public health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic caused immense loss of life, worldwide shutdowns, and unparalleled strain on healthcare systems. Among its most lasting impacts was the disruption to the global supply chain, which is still fragile and unpredictable in 2025.
Consider the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which halted operations at Baxter International's manufacturing facility in North Cove, North Carolina, or Hurricane Milton, which forced a shutdown at B. Braun's Florida facility, creating a critical shortage of intravenous (IV) fluids. The growing frequency and intensity of natural disasters reveal how tenuous the healthcare supply chain is, particularly as the world continues to deal with the continuing effects of the pandemic.
According to the American Hospital Association's 2025 Environmental Scan report (AHA), supply chain disruptions will continue to affect the healthcare industry. Understanding these vulnerabilities and preparing for disruptions is critical to operating a successful practice capable of providing continuous patient care.
Shortages, Higher Costs, Increased Risks

A brief from the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) reported shortages of at least 140 medical products last July, while the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) reported 277 active drug shortages in the U.S. in September of last year.
Current shortages include everything from chemotherapy medications to insulin, Dextrose solutions, medical devices, and various lifesaving medical products. The FDA currently has six devices on its Medical Device Shortage List, including IV bags, oxygenator devices, and cardiac diagnostics.
The most critical threat of these shortages is their impact on patient outcomes; however, the increase in healthcare costs is also concerning. According to the ASPE July 2024 report, medical supply shortages cost at least $359 million per year in labor resources and over $200 million in purchasing alternative treatments. The healthcare system incurs these costs and passes them on to patients and consumers.
Further supply shortage issues include the possibility of not having alternative treatments, medication substitution errors, delayed treatment, and cancellation of surgical interventions. Meanwhile, U.S. health insurance companies are under increased scrutiny for rising medical claim denials.
Cause and Effect
As medical supply shortages continue to escalate, predicting them becomes increasingly tricky. According to Mike Schiller, senior director at the AHA’s Association for Health Care Resource & Materials Management (AHRMM), the shortages of raw materials such as resins, precious metals, and gasses are significant contributors. The 2023 closure of Akron Pharmaceuticals and ongoing regulatory challenges have also increased medication supply problems.
The closure of Akron Pharmaceuticals highlights the issues of delivering healthcare in a profit-driven market. Essentially, manufacturers will cease making goods that do not yield sufficient returns. This approach discourages investment in new technology and quality control measures, increasing the likelihood of recalls, facility shutdowns, and supply chain shortages.
The shortage of new drugs is one such example. According to a 2023 Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs report, new drug shortages increased by almost 30% from 2021 to 2022. The committee also highlighted a lack of transparency in the pharmaceutical supply chain, noting that many U.S.-based drug manufacturers have relocated overseas due to foreign tax benefits and fewer regulations. This shift has reduced domestic production, contributing to the declining availability of generic medications.
While the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the global medical supply chain’s failures, these problems have been building for decades. Due to rising demand and escalating unpredictability, supply chain leaders struggle with outdated systems that simply can't keep up.
Tariff Troubles
From January to May 2024, the U.S. imported $14.9 billion in medical equipment, up from $14 billion for the same period the previous year. The most common medical imports to the U.S. include hospital supplies, diagnostic imaging, anesthesia, and respiratory devices.
President-elect Trump's proposal to impose tariffs on imported goods would impact around 75% of medical devices sold in the U.S., as most are made abroad. Specifically, 69% of these devices are manufactured outside the U.S., based on Medsource Database and GlobalData. However, in May last year, the Biden administration increased tariffs on various Chinese-made products, including medical syringes, masks, respirators, and gloves. While most tariff hikes took effect on August 1, the exact amount of the increase varies.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) released a fact sheet on the issue, acknowledging the impact tariffs have on the ability to deliver patient care. The AHA also supports boosting domestic production of essential medical supplies to strengthen the healthcare supply chain but warns that higher costs for critical items could worsen the already-existing pressures on hospitals.
With medical costs ranking among Americans' top concerns, rising expenses and challenges in sourcing essential supplies risk pushing the system (and the people it serves) to the breaking point. According to a Medical Economics and EWS article published on November 26, 2024, medical device tariffs could drive already rising costs. Aidan Robertson, a Medical Analyst at GlobalData, explained, “The tariffs may have negative consequences for a continually growing market due to an aging population and the increasing prevalence of long-term illnesses. Companies will be forced to increase prices to compensate for losses incurred by the proposed tariffs. Additionally, this may cause supply chain disruptions, reducing accessibility to medical devices and inflating the cost of these products due to the higher demand compared to the supply."
How Can Practices Best Prepare in 2025?
Although the American healthcare system generally treats oral health as a separate entity from overall medical health, dental practices aren't immune to the broad issues with the medical supply chain.
In 2022, the United States led global imports of essential dental supplies, including $411 million in dental products, $447 million in dental cement, and $239 million in dental X-ray machines. It also imported significant quantities of other critical items, such as bandages and raw materials necessary for dental products.
Given the reliance on imported goods and the need to provide uninterrupted patient care, proactive measures are the best defense against an unpredictable supply chain. Here are a few actionable strategies:
- Map Your Supply Chain: Track where your supplies originate and their real-time availability. This allows you to address issues proactively by directly contacting suppliers to understand inventory levels and delivery capabilities. By balancing your needs with up-to-date supply chain insights, you can also avoid overstocking. Using technology such as AI and blockchain to track supply availability is also an option.
- Join a Purchasing Group: Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) and purchasing groups offer dentists the chance to leverage collective buying power. GPOs negotiate discounted pricing—saving as much as 20-25%—and streamline supply chain management for you. On the other hand, purchasing groups pool resources among members to source and negotiate the best deals collectively.
- Build Loyal Supplier Relationships: Establishing direct connections with key supplier contacts can be invaluable. Instead of relying on generic customer service, having a dedicated contact can help you secure critical supplies and access better support. Strong relationships with suppliers often lead to better service, advice, and resource access during shortages.
- Diversify and Cut the Middleman: Regularly evaluate your inventory and suppliers to ensure you get the best price and service. If possible, establish relationships directly with manufacturers to bypass middlemen, reducing delays and costs. Diversifying suppliers also provides a safety net in case one vendor experiences disruptions.
In Conclusion
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed an undeniable truth—unpredictability is the only certainty. It also exposed deep, long-standing flaws in the U.S. medical supply chain. These persistent issues are a critical reminder that rising costs, manufacturing disruptions, and overreliance on foreign suppliers affect everyone—from manufacturers and suppliers to hospitals, clinicians, practitioners, patients, and consumers.
Dental practices should map their supply chains, leverage purchasing groups, cultivate strong supplier relationships, and diversify resources. The future is unpredictable, but preparation and adaptability will always be the best guides to success.
Author: With over 15 years as a published journalist, editor, and writer, Genni Burkhart's career has spanned politics, healthcare, law, business finance, technology, and news. She resides in Northern Colorado, where she works as the editor-in-chief of the Incisor at DOCS Education.