Med Center Health partners with DeRoyal and Premier Inc. to expand domestic production of gowns

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.- Med Center Health is partnering with DeRoyal Industries Inc. and Premier Inc. to domestically produce isolation gowns. 

“We are excited to work with Premier and DeRoyal on a domestic solution,” said Fred Genter, vice president of Supply Chain Management with Med Center Health. “Having a PPE manufacturer this close to home will help protect the supply chain and allows us to keep staff and patients safe.”

Raw materials for the gowns will be sourced from U.S.-based manufacturers, and the gowns will be produced in a facility in Knoxville, Tenn. 

The gowns will be custom designed for the Med Center’s care delivery requirements and the collaboration is a multi-year commitment. 

The joint venture is part of the center’s ongoing effort to create supply chain resiliency and work with domestic manufacturers, especially those producing products that are in shortage during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Most of the medical products that are important for daily operations are sourced overseas, with 80% of PPE coming from China and Southeast Asia. With COVID-19 and closed borders, it is more critical than ever to not be over reliant on sourcing overseas.