A cyberattack may start as an IT problem, but when it disrupts manufacturing, order processing, or shipping, it becomes a supply chain problem too.
Boston Scientific is a recent example. In late August, the company disclosed a cybersecurity incident that disrupted global operations, including manufacturing and systems used to process and ship customer orders. Boston Scientific has since made significant progress restoring operations, including shipping for the majority of products at its major distribution centers globally. While operations have largely been restored, the disruption demonstrates how quickly an unexpected event can affect the availability of products healthcare organizations depend on.
Cyberattacks are only one source of supply disruption facing healthcare supply chains. Recalls, manufacturing problems and supplier issues can create the same challenge.
Earlier this year, Stryker experienced a disruption that affected order processing, manufacturing, and shipping. Hologic experienced manufacturing and supplier issues that contributed to a nationwide shortage of stereotactic breast biopsy needles that the FDA currently expects to continue through the first quarter of 2027.
The disruptions have different causes, but they lead to the same problem: a product an organization depends on can suddenly become difficult, or even impossible, to obtain.
That raises a question supply chain leaders should be asking before the next disruption occurs: What will you use instead?
Knowing What You Buy Isn't Enough
Healthcare supply chain organizations have become increasingly sophisticated at managing inventory, monitoring utilization, controlling costs and understanding their sources of supply. Those capabilities are essential, but they don’t necessarily answer a critical question during a disruption: What alternatives are available if the product you normally purchase becomes unavailable?
Finding another product is not necessarily the same as finding a suitable alternative. Medical devices and supplies can differ in specifications, features, intended use and performance characteristics. A product that appears similar may not meet the requirements of a particular organization or clinical application, making research, comparison and clinical input necessary.
This is where having a reliable way to identify functional equivalents can make a difference. Rather than starting from scratch when a product becomes unavailable, supply chain teams can identify potential alternatives and access information to support their evaluation.
Even better is knowing those alternatives before they are needed.
Build Options into Supply Planning
Having access to functional equivalents can help organizations respond when supply changes, but the greater opportunity is to make evaluating alternative products part of supply planning before a disruption occurs.
Organizations can identify categories where the consequences of a shortage, recall or supplier disruption would be greatest and evaluate potential functional equivalents in advance. Supply chain and clinical stakeholders can review those products, understand how they compare and determine which alternatives may meet their requirements.
For higher-risk categories, preparation can go a step further. If a product is particularly difficult to replace, has limited sourcing options, or carries significant clinical or operational consequences, organizations can determine what additional contingency planning may be appropriate.
The goal isn’t to stockpile alternatives. It is to make deliberate, risk-based decisions about where having a vetted alternative would provide meaningful protection against future disruption.
Consider a product recall. The first priority is identifying whether the organization has affected products and coordinating the response. But once those products are identified, another question follows:
What should replace them?
Recall management helps organizations identify and respond to affected products. Functional Equivalents can help inform the next decision: what could replace them.
The same principle applies to shortages, manufacturing disruptions and cyber incidents. The cause may change, but the need for options remains.
Staritas provides healthcare organizations with a practical way to identify and evaluate potential functional equivalents across more than 760 supply categories. The recent Boston Scientific disruption provides a real-world example of how this approach can help. To illustrate, we’re sharing a Functional Equivalents report covering 50 Boston Scientific cardiovascular guidewires and potential alternatives for providers evaluating their options.
Supply disruptions will continue to come from different directions. Organizations may not be able to predict the next one, but they can be better prepared by understanding their options before they need them.
Resilience isn’t just about predicting what’s next. It’s about having options when it happens.
Staritas Functional Equivalents provides safe, vetted alternatives across more than 500,000 medical devices and supplies, helping healthcare organizations maintain performance, quality, and clinical requirements when supply disruptions occur. Learn more about Staritas Functional Equivalents.
