Supply Chain Issues

As we head into October, I’m sure everyone is keenly aware of the impending holiday season—and the busy buying that accompanies it.

On top of shopping for holiday gifts and groceries for big meals, many people in southwest Florida have to continue to stock up on medical supplies. It’s not always the most Christmassy errand, but Helios is here to meet your medical equipment needs with minimal fuss, so you can continue to enjoy the season with your friends and family.

That being said, this year it’s especially important to get your medical needs taken care of sooner rather than waiting until you’re in dire need. Not only is this a busy season in any year, but 2021 has been fraught with supply chain issues. And the busy season is only going to make those issues worse.

What’s causing supply chain issues?

The supply chain is a vast network that takes products from manufacturers through distribution to retailers and finally to end users. A disruption at any point in this chain can cause delays. Covid has caused disruptions at many points.

Over the last 18 months, due to delivery shortages, many manufacturers have had trouble getting the raw materials they need to create their products. On top of that, Covid shutdowns and adaptations have limited their workforces. And then the delivery issues have caused difficulties in distributing those products.

This is affecting industries across the board. And when supplies are delayed in the medical industry, the consequences can be dire.

What do supply chain issues mean for you?

The result of these disruptions is that end users are having to wait longer to get their products, encountering empty shelves and delayed orders. As a retailer, we’re just one step up the ladder. Our shipments are delayed, and in some cases that affects our customers.

How to manage supply chain issues this year.

But we’re still here to help! We just want our customers to be aware of these issues so we can all work together. If you have an ongoing need for medical supplies, don’t wait for your stockpile to dwindle. Stock up ASAP, and if you need to place an order, now’s the time to do it.

If you own heavy-duty and/or electrical medical equipment, get it serviced before you have issues. Maintenance experts should be able to tell you if there are parts that need replacing. It’s important to get those parts ordered now so they’ll be here when you need them.

No matter the situation, our goal at Helios is to provide our customers with timely, high-quality medical equipment and services. The current supply chain issues may get in the way, but rest assured we’re going to continue to be there for our customers.