The Healthcare market has been disrupted in recent years by value based care, EHR initiatives, and the COVID-19 pandemic. With these challenges, the demand for robust healthcare delivery solutions has grown. Mobile cart solutions that offer rugged, modular, and hygienic features have increasingly been called upon to address healthcare needs in a wide array of unconventional healthcare environments.
The latest challenge influencing the healthcare industry’s approach to purchasing decisions relates to national policy shifts around trade, manufacturing, and domestic sourcing, aka Made In USA. Healthcare buyers on GSA (General Services Administration) contracts, healthcare IT Integrators, and medical equipment manufacturers face heightened concerns about how best to face these challenges. First Products, even with a long history of American healthcare innovation, is navigating the shifts alongside its clients, offering fresh perspectives on the nuances and value of US-based manufacturing.
This article addresses the Made in the USA approach to buying medical equipment, highlights some challenges buyers and integrators face, and offers practical guidance when selecting a reliable and compliant US-based manufacturing partner in this evolving healthcare landscape.
These two statements are relevant to the discussion but may sometimes confuse when addressing legal requirements in regulated environments like healthcare and federal procurement. Here’s a quick breakdown.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) designates that a product labeled “Made in USA” must be all or virtually all made in the United States. This means significant processing, assembly, and the origin of major components must be US-made. For instance, in medical cart manufacturing:
“Made In America,” on the other hand, generally refers to products made anywhere in North America, including the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Whether to communicate patriotism or regional origin, there is no formal legal FTC standard or accountability for this term. As well, “Made in America” doesn’t guarantee compliance with U.S. federal sourcing laws like the Buy American Act (BAA) or the Trade Agreements Act (TAA).
The current presidential administration is emphasizing the reshoring of manufacturing to stimulate domestic growth, reduce reliance on foreign imports, and prioritize American-made goods in federal procurement. This focus shift reveals concerns in the healthcare industry about supply chain reliability, as US-made products and components, like mobile healthcare carts, must address both quality standards and federal compliance expectations.
Mislabeling “Made in USA” on actual products may result in FTC enforcement, so buyers following strict federal requirements will need proof of compliance.
For healthcare organizations prioritizing "Made in USA" products, partnering with manufacturers committed to domestic production helps ensure compliance with federal regulations.
There isn’t much First hasn’t seen in the way of healthcare innovation over the decades. We’ve evolved alongside the policies, entirely dedicated to the design, engineering, and assembly of a broad range of medical carts, mounts, and traditional charting products for the markets we serve. Based in Lockport, NY, our ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing facility serves as a complete end-to-end solution hub where we design, engineer, prototype, assemble, integrate, warehouse, and ship custom-configured solutions. While we utilize a global supply chain for key components, our U.S.-based team enables rapid prototyping, flexible customization, and quality-controlled production all under one roof, ensuring your Perfect Fit solutions are delivered with the reliability and responsiveness of American manufacturing. As a third-generation, family-owned business, First brings deep experience to the manufacturing and customizing of medical carts and mounts.
We leverage our U.S. manufacturing, with a strong domestic supply chain, and distribution ingenuity to deliver high-quality, easily adaptable, and flexible solutions in healthcare, education, government and other markets.
By taking a service-driven approach and using cutting-edge technologies, we shorten the gap between design to deliverables, mitigating the risks while supporting clients’ crucial need for product reliability and compliance. This integrated approach allows us to respond quickly to market changes and deliver custom solutions without the delays and uncertainties of overseas manufacturing.
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