The Washington State Hospital Association (WSHA) is distributing simple procedural masks to hospitals across Washington State. It marks the first time the association has taken the unprecedented step of importing and distributing medical supplies to ensure hospitals have the required equipment to keep staff and patients safe. Some of WSHA’s masks have already been distributed to local hospitals, long-term care facilities and organizations serving individuals experiencing homelessness.
WSHA purchased 300,000 disposable surgical masks from Dingyi North America and is selling the masks to facilities at-cost. Masks receiving shipments on Friday, April 24 include:
- Columbia Basin Hospital
- East Adams Hospital
- Grays Harbor Community Hospital
- Klickitat Valley Healthcare
- Mason Health
- Ocean Beach Hospital
- Samaritan Healthcare
- Skyline Hospital
- Willapa Harbor Hospital
“WSHA has never imported or distributed supplies to its members or other organizations, and we had no idea how to do it, but we made it happen nonetheless,” WSHA President & CEO Cassie Sauer said. “This is just the first round of deliveries, and we plan to distribute the next round to more facilities as soon as possible. Our hospitals and other care providers are desperate for supplies to keep staff and patients safe – our actions were fueled by this desperation.”
Access to personal protective equipment (PPE) has been one of the most challenging issues for the health care community nationwide, and keeping health care teams safe is WSHA’s top priority. The association ordered hundreds of thousands of additional masks from Dingyi North America and Bartell Drug. WSHA will sell and deliver these as well to facilities across the state.
