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Elderly people and other high-risk groups in the United States are chasing wild geese to secure the Covid-19 vaccine. The distribution process is confusing in many states, often starting with false hopes, dead end. Many people could not register plans Or have their confirmed appointment Postponed Because it is out of stock.
As a professor of business administration who has studied complex supply chains over the last three decades, it is clear that several aspects of efficient private system operation can be applied to vaccine distribution. They are essential to solving this public health crisis, including clear communication, coordination and a collaborative environment.
In California, for example, it’s hard to understand how many tech giants such as Apple, Facebook, and Google can have websites that are very poorly functional.Los Angeles County Covid-19 Vaccine Booking website It crashed within minutes of its launch. Rite Aid site You must enter one zip code at a time to see if you plan to use it within 50 miles. Ralphs pharmacy At the time of this writing, the website listed the Covid-19 vaccines available in “selected locations”, but users still need to search for pharmacies by pharmacy. It was unclear which one was available. Those that did not provide a waiting list.
As the federal government expands the number of vaccines site More pharmacies, university hospitals, and community centers have their own location-specific websites that do not link to each other. Without clear guidelines, the general public has been confused about how to make an appointment and with whom (at a healthcare provider, county government, or local pharmacy) to make an appointment.USA can send rover to MarsNevertheless, the federal government has not been able to smoothly control the distribution process of the Covid-19 vaccine on Earth.
Unlike NASA, or centralized U.S. military operations, public health systems United States Constitution To ensure check and balance. The federal government establishes health policies and allocates resources. However, implementation is left to state and local health authorities. Without real-time information about in-stock, mid-course, or ordering vaccine supplies, and without real-time coordination between those who manage shots and those who want shots, it is difficult to identify current bottlenecks. However, the CDC and the state government could have worked together to coordinate the supply of vaccines and better assess the demand of the various eligible groups. That way, your deployment plan will be much smoother.
Improving the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine begins with clear communication. CDC Director Rochelle Walensky
Said On Sunday, “One of the biggest problems right now is that we can’t tell you the amount of vaccine we have. If you can’t tell it, I tell the governor. I can’t tell, I can’t tell it to the state health authorities. ”Despite this disturbing news, her honesty is appreciated. It revealed a communication gap between the supplier and its key customers that had to be addressed.
The federal government can collect this information by tracking the amount of vaccines that have left Pfizer and Moderna warehouses, as well as the amount and destination of vaccines being transported by UPS and FedEx. These companies have sophisticated sensors and tracking devices. The information is already there, but additional effort is needed to put these parts together.
The federal, state, and local governments are reserved for the actual supply of Covid-19 vaccine delivered, the quantity shipped in transit, the inventory available, and those who make reservations at various locations. You can also address this information gap by tracking the specified quantity. They need to share this information with the general public and set the right expectations. Keeping people in the dark creates anxiety for the people at best and, worse, anger.
Real-time information on vaccine supply is a prerequisite for state and local health authorities to coordinate vaccine deployments and develop a single website for all booking schedules. Federal and state governments can certainly ask big tech companies like Google and Amazon to set up such websites and mobile apps to coordinate supply and demand and track progress. I will. These companies have the expertise to do this, can do it quickly, and the general public is already familiar with them.
Specifically, by leveraging vaccine availability information at each vaccination site, this single booking system can schedule future dates and even provide a waiting list. I can do it. People can also monitor progress at various vaccination sites, much like tracking food deliveries.
Federal, state, and local health authorities must also work together. In order to streamline the Covid-19 vaccination process and reach herd immunity as soon as possible, these parties must work together to develop three things.
First, you need to provide a simple chart or survey to help you find out which group you belong to and whether you are currently eligible. Your website should allow users to register and be notified when a group is eligible. Next, for each eligible group, you need a single website with instructions for users to create future appointments and join one waiting list in each county. Third, federal, state, and local health authorities can provide real-time information about the vaccination process and provide estimated dates for people on the waiting list.
Transparency of processes and information can reduce anxiety. People do not have to make multiple appointments that can mislead quantity planning in different locations. By leveraging information to improve communication, coordination and collaboration, vaccines can be distributed faster and end this pandemic.
Christopher S. Tan is a prominent professor at the University and Edward W. Carter Chair of Business Administration at UCLA Anderson School of Business.
