Medline hosted an online briefing for hospitals following the June 11 fire that destroyed its Tracy, Calif., distribution center.
The 1.2 million-square-foot building, Medline’s second-largest distribution center, represents about 3 percent of the company’s total distribution footprint nationwide. All on-site personnel evacuated safely, and recovery work began after a multi-day firefighting effort.
During the briefing, Medline said orders previously routed through Tracy will now be processed in its Southern California facilities. The company is actively evaluating and rebalancing stock across its network, and doesn’t foresee these shifts causing broader service disruptions or delays. Corporate teams are on the ground in California searching for additional warehouse space to absorb the new demand, and hospitals can expect to receive a letter from Medline with further details.
State and local agencies are coordinating closely with Medline and healthcare organizations. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is working directly with the company to connect hospitals with other distribution centers as needed. CDPH issued a California Health Alert Network (CAHAN) request that hospitals and other healthcare facilities report any supply impacts through the standard reporting process.
The agency has also met with regional disaster medical health coordinators, who help manage mutual aid and medical resource sharing across the state. In addition, the Emergency Medical Services Authority is compiling a statewide vendor and supply list to share with healthcare facilities.
At the regional level, local emergency medical services agencies in San Francisco, Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, San Benito and Santa Clara counties are working with hospitals to assess specific needs tied to the fire. Some larger health systems have received requests from outside their immediate areas. Salinas Valley and John Muir, for example, have reached out to Stanford for supply support. Smaller independent hospitals without system backing have voiced concerns about equitable access to alternative supply sources as the situation develops.
HASC will continue monitoring the situation and sharing relevant updates. Member hospitals experiencing supply issues are encouraged to report them through the standard CAHAN process so state and regional partners can help direct resources where they’re most needed.