Tim Slayter: Let's appreciate the role health care supply distributors play

To The Daily Sun,

I have worked most of my career as a nurse and I’ve dedicated my life to helping patients. I will say this past year has been the most challenging I have seen. Our health care system, including caregivers and patients, has been tested and stressed in immeasurable ways as a result of the uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic.

Even though we’ve been fortunate here in N.H. to have a relatively low number of cases of the virus, the threat of an uptick in cases remains. It’s vital that our hospitals, pharmacies, and long-term care facilities remain well stocked with the necessary medications and medical supplies patients and caregivers rely on.

Fortunately, thanks to our network of wholesale distributors, we haven’t had to deal with any shortages within our medical supply chain. Patients and providers alike have had access to the equipment and medication they need. This is encouraging knowing once a vaccine is available it will be this same network of healthcare distributors that will be responsible for delivering the vaccine to where it is needed.

As a health care provider I am grateful for their efforts and want to recognize the important role health care distributors play in our healthcare system, especially during this pandemic.

Tim Slayter

Laconia