The Product
Fetal scalp electrodes (FSEs) are used to monitor an unborn baby’s heart rate – allowing clinicians to identify early signs of fetal distress during labour.
The Challenge
A large supplier of FSEs suddenly stopped distributing in Canada, which left only one other Canadian supplier with limited stock – leading to a shortage of these essential devices.
Since different types of FSEs are compatible with specific monitoring equipment, finding alternative items was a challenge. In locating substitutes, MMC aimed to mitigate the disruption to hospitals’ clinical practice and avoid requiring Members to purchase new monitors.
The Outcome
MMC’s Clinical Team researched potential new suppliers outside of Canada. Once a new supplier was identified, MMC collaborated closely with them to bring in samples for clinical assessment. This included surveying Member hospitals to assess the clinical acceptability of these proposed substitutes.
MMC advocated with Health Canada about the criticality of the FSE shortage and helped guide the new supplier in their application to Health Canada for exceptional importation.