Ep 8: Walter Ulrich

Global Scalpels: A Global Surgery Podcast

Hundreds of millions of shipping containers are transported around the world annually. Some of them are filled with cars, toys, or cosmetics. Others are filled with perishable food items or electronics. As the world shut down in the wake of COVID-19, we all saw what happens when supply chains are disrupted. Supermarket shelves full of toilet paper and canned goods disappeared seemingly overnight. Genuine fear arose as resources became restricted. Supply chain is a big issue. In many countries around the world, it isn’t that their medical supply chain is disrupted – it is that it doesn’t exist. You can’t even get the medical device you need. Medical bridges is disrupting this cycle and creating new supply chains to support the needs of hospitals around the world who lack access to important medical devices and surgical supplies. Think x-ray machines, dialysis pumps, and life-saving ultrasound imaging all donated, renewed, serviced, and then shipped in big shipping containers to distant hospitals in need of these technologies. Partnerships with local NGOs for servicing these machines keep them up and running for years to come. Tune in as we talk about ethical issues around serving in developing countries, medical waste, and supply chain channels as we explore entrepreneurship and business principles to create new opportunities in global surgery.