# Reporting and Monitoring Personal Protective Equipment Inventory during the Pandemic
> **Review** by Department of Veterans Affairs OIG · 2021-02-24
> *About: Department of Veterans Affairs*
## Report
- **Title:** Reporting and Monitoring Personal Protective Equipment Inventory during the Pandemic
- **Submitting OIG:** Department of Veterans Affairs OIG
- **Component agency:** Department of Veterans Affairs
- **Type:** Review
- **Publication date:** 2021-02-24

## Summary

The spread of COVID-19 drastically increased the demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, gloves, and gowns, and significantly disrupted the global supply chain. As the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) had to compete for PPE for its personnel and patients. The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) received hotline allegations that VHA medical facilities could not acquire and maintain enough PPE to keep pace with escalating needs. The OIG assessed how VHA reported and monitored PPE supply levels during the pandemic.


## Recommendations

- **Rec 1** (Closed): Provide specific guidance for personnel in facilities and Veterans Integrated Service Network offices to report expired personal protective equipment supplies into the Response Monitoring Tool and refine the tool to allow the entry of expired supply…
- **Rec 2** (Closed): Communicate effective verification measures for facilities and Veterans Integrated Service Networks to improve the reliability and consistency of reported personal protective equipment on-hand quantity and usage information.
## Source
- [oversight.gov report page](https://www.oversight.gov/reports/reporting-and-monitoring-personal-protective-equipment-inventory-during-pandemic)
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