ODT: Autocam Medical: Adapting to the Dynamic Orthopedic and Spinal Implant Industries
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cripple every industry, and the orthopedic implant market is especially affected. With the exception of traumatic injuries, orthopedic surgeries are elective. The U.S. Surgeon General and many medical specialties such as the American College of Surgeons and the American Society of Anesthesiologists recommended interim cancellation of elective surgical procedures for the duration of the pandemic. For these surgeries to resume, there must be a sustained reduction in new COVID-19 case rates in the relevant geographic area for at least 14 days before resuming elective procedures.1
“All attention right now is on the impact to the supply chain from COVID-19,” said Scott Shankle, VP of operations at MicroPort Orthopedics, a Memphis, Tenn.-based multinational producer of orthopedic products. “Employee safety, local or state orders guiding operations facilities, disruptions at suppliers, bans on elective surgical procedures, and everyone in the supply chain being cash conservative while trying to manage inventory and readiness for the global recovery is the current environment. The most significant trend to watch is how and when global recovery advances. I expect the cash conservation to squeeze smaller organizations the hardest, and expect at least some consolidation in OEMs and contract manufacturers.”
