Health Companies Swap Data to Avert Supply Shortages in Crises

Companies at every level in the health-care supply chain are sharing more data, modifying contracts, and investing in new technologies to prevent future shortages of drugs, masks, and other equipment that have become scarce during the pandemic.

Personal protective equipment makers are disclosing how much stock they have in an effort to increase transparency. Hospitals like Intermountain Healthcare are working to establish alternative products for when the doctor’s first choice isn’t available. And distributors like AmerisourceBergen are using real-time data to ensure crucial supplies get to the neediest populations.

The supply chain hasn’t seen an event like the global Covid-19 ...