Investing in Products Made in America Benefits Healthcare Facilities

Almost 70% of Americans say they would choose a product made in the USA over a product produced in another country. News stories depicting forced child labor in other countries and a desire for quality-controlled products are a few reasons citizens and the government spend money on materials and products made in America.  

But do the benefits of domestically produced products extend to healthcare supplies? 

In a word, yes.

For example, the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) regulations provide quality control for healthcare products, a process that may not be available in other countries. In addition, purchasing medical products warehoused in America helps facilities access supplies quickly. 

Let’s take a look at how purchasing healthcare products made in the U.S. benefits the purchaser, the patient, and the planet.

Reduced Emissions

In 2019, Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) reported that 4.4 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions are due to the healthcare sector. Seventy-one percent of those emissions are generated by the supply chain, mainly gas and electricity used during manufacturing, shipping, and disposal of healthcare products. 

The U.S. imports approximately 30 percent of its healthcare products. Compared to other countries, the U.S. leads the way in healthcare emissions, contributing 27 percent of the total.

HCWH has asked healthcare facilities globally to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050. The U.S. can help meet this goal by decreasing its reliance on products made in other countries. 

InnerSpace’s products are made in America and can help your facility reduce its environmental footprint. 

Optimized Lead Times

As the healthcare industry moves to reduce costs and provide quality patient care, facilities must avoid construction and operational delays that lead to lost revenue.

Products made in the U.S. and shipped to U.S. facilities aren’t subject to overseas shipping or customs delays. Domestic freight costs are lower. Shipping times are faster. And when on-site assistance is needed, help is available within days. 

Short lead times also help managers meet JCAHO inspection dates, avoiding fees for postponed or canceled accreditation surveys. 

Contact Innerspace to learn more about our U.S.-based manufacturing process and short lead times. 

Reduced Impact of Pandemics and Wars

The recent pandemic highlighted an issue with the healthcare supply chain in the U.S. Our reliance on other countries to provide basic healthcare supplies led to a shortage of life-saving personal protective supplies and medical equipment, putting Americans at risk and possibly resulting in additional hospitalizations and deaths.

Making an effort to move manufacturing to the U.S., including raw material production, puts the country on a more stable footing in the event of war or a global health crisis. 

The U.S. prides itself on its ability to respond rapidly to the healthcare needs of its citizens, and the inability to produce needed medical supplies should not stand in the way of healthcare providers who strive to do their very best to take care of their patients. 

While the U.S. imports almost a third of the medical products the country uses, it only exports 20% of the products it manufactures. During the recent pandemic, this trade imbalance led to the U.S. paying a much higher price for medical supplies in short supply and high demand. 

Build America Buy America Act of 2021

The U.S. government has joined the public Made in America movement by creating policies to require or encourage government agencies to purchase domestic goods first. 

On February 24, 2021, the U.S. president issued an Executive Order on America’s Supply Chains to ensure that extreme situations, such as pandemics and wars, would not destabilize critical supply chains, including pharmaceuticals and pandemic-response supplies. 

The policy encourages American businesses to move material procurement and manufacturing to American soil, driving job growth and contributing to the economy. 

U.S. healthcare facilities can help our nation reduce its environmental impact while cutting costs and providing quality patient care by buying products made in America. 

Let InnerSpace be your first stop when shopping for your healthcare storage needs. 

We are Made in America.