An Atlanta-based global health nonprofit, long dedicated to shipping surplus medical supplies to developing nations, has discovered that the same logistical challenges and resource gaps it has spent decades addressing abroad exist right in its own backyard. Spurred by the stark revelations of the COVID-19 pandemic, MedShare has strategically redirected a portion of its formidable operational capacity to support under-resourced safety-net clinics across the United States, applying its international aid model to tackle domestic healthcare disparities. This “homeward bound” initiative is not merely a pivot but a profound recognition that the front lines of healthcare vulnerability are not confined by national borders, revealing a shared struggle for essential resources that connects a rural clinic in Georgia with a field hospital in a conflict zone halfway around the world. The organization’s journey inward has illuminated the complex tapestry of need within the American healthcare system, prompting a new chapter in its mission to ensure that no usable medical supply goes to waste.
A Global Lifeline Built on Surplus
Since its founding in 1998, MedShare has established itself as an indispensable link in the global health supply chain, pioneering a circular approach to medical surplus. The organization’s core mission is to intercept and redirect vast quantities of medical supplies and equipment that U.S. hospitals and manufacturers would otherwise discard due to regulatory turnover, technology upgrades, or minor packaging imperfections. This model not only channels life-saving resources to clinics and hospitals in 120 countries but also yields a significant environmental dividend by diverting tons of perfectly usable materials from landfills. Over more than two decades, MedShare’s reach has extended to communities grappling with the aftermath of natural disasters, such as Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa, as well as those caught in the crossfire of conflict, like war-torn Ukraine. The scope of its aid is remarkably comprehensive, encompassing everything from high-volume consumables like sutures and syringes to large-scale capital equipment, including X-ray machines, transformers, and, in one instance, an entire morgue.
MedShare’s operational efficiency is often likened by CEO and Executive Director Stacey Koehnke to “Amazon – but free.” The process begins with sourcing supplies through diverse channels, including corporate partners donating refurbished or discontinued equipment and hospitals providing their surplus. Often, it is frontline nurses and supply chain administrators who initiate these hospital donations, seeking a responsible alternative to the wasteful practice of discarding usable items, such as individually wrapped syringes from an already opened case. Upon arrival at a MedShare facility, every item is meticulously sorted, identified, and cataloged before being made available through a sophisticated online portal. Approved clinics and healthcare providers from around the world can then browse the extensive inventory and order precisely what they need to serve their communities. All supplies are provided completely free of charge. For partner clinics located outside of MedShare’s home state of Georgia, the only associated cost is shipping, while Georgia-based facilities benefit from free delivery, a policy that underscores the organization’s deep-seated commitment to its local community.
An Unexpected Catalyst for Domestic Focus
While MedShare had previously engaged in sporadic domestic relief, its definitive pivot toward a sustained U.S. program was catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis served as a watershed moment, revealing with startling clarity that the logistical and supply-chain vulnerabilities plaguing domestic healthcare providers were nearly identical to those the organization had been addressing internationally for years. The existing inventory of personal protective equipment (PPE) allowed MedShare to respond swiftly and effectively to the domestic emergency, reinforcing the urgent need for a more permanent and intentional American initiative. This realization has since evolved into a core strategic priority. The organization now allocates 10% of its total resources to U.S. clinics, a figure it is actively working to increase as it deepens its engagement with the nation’s healthcare safety net. This shift reflects a strategic evolution from an exclusively international aid organization to one with a hybrid mission, recognizing that critical health needs are universal.
A foundational element of this new domestic focus is the striking parallel between the patient populations served by MedShare’s international partners and its new stateside beneficiaries. In the United States, the organization directs its support to safety-net clinics, which are on the front lines of caring for the country’s most vulnerable citizens. These facilities often serve underinsured or uninsured individuals in areas marked by significant healthcare disparities, including remote rural communities without local hospitals, Native American reservations, and urban neighborhoods with large immigrant populations. To date, MedShare has successfully forged partnerships with clinics in approximately 35 states, demonstrating a broad and growing national footprint. The organization maintains a particularly strong presence in its home state of Georgia, where it actively supports at least 27 facilities in both urban and rural settings, providing a consistent and reliable source of essential medical supplies to providers who would otherwise struggle to acquire them.
Bridging Critical Gaps in American Healthcare
The tangible impact of MedShare’s domestic work is powerfully illustrated by a recent high-impact initiative developed in partnership with the medtech firm BD. This collaboration facilitated the distribution of new but discontinued ultrasound machines to low-cost clinics across 30 states. Although BD had taken these devices off the market to make way for updated models, they remained perfectly functional and represented an immensely valuable diagnostic tool for underfunded facilities. By distributing these machines, MedShare fundamentally enhanced the in-house diagnostic capabilities of these clinics, saving their patients significant time and money that would have otherwise been spent on referrals to external providers. This initiative is proving particularly crucial for improving maternal health outcomes. In Georgia, for instance, the Bethesda Community Clinic in Cherokee County will utilize its new machine on a mobile women’s health van to provide basic prenatal care, while the Macon Volunteer Clinic plans to use its device for critical procedures like IUD placements and diagnosing deep vein thrombosis.
MedShare’s domestic expansion operates against a backdrop of increasing systemic challenges confronting American safety-net clinics. Koehnke identifies diminishing federal and state funding, compounded by the ongoing and widespread closure of community hospitals, as major sources of pressure on these vital facilities. As local hospitals shut their doors, independent clinics are often forced to absorb a larger patient load and expand their scope of services to fill the resulting care gaps. This trend is especially pronounced in the field of maternal care, which is frequently the first service line to be eliminated by financially strained hospitals due to its high liability risks. Consequently, MedShare has seen a surge in requests for specific equipment, such as ultrasound machines, from clinics that now find themselves needing to provide services that were once handled by a local hospital. This dynamic positions MedShare not just as a supplier but as a critical infrastructure partner for clinics striving to maintain access to essential healthcare in their communities.
Adapting Aid for a New Frontier
Recognizing that sophisticated medical equipment is rendered useless without skilled operators, MedShare has made comprehensive training a cornerstone of its support strategy, both at home and abroad. This commitment to education ensures that donated items provide long-term, sustainable value rather than becoming a short-lived solution. For the domestic ultrasound program, the organization went beyond simple distribution by developing a robust remote training curriculum designed to teach technicians how to properly use, troubleshoot, and perform basic maintenance on the machines. This educational component is born from the hard-learned lesson that without empowering local personnel with the necessary expertise, well-intentioned donations can quickly devolve into a “wasteland of beautiful equipment that’s unusable.” By integrating training into its model, MedShare ensures that its partner clinics can maximize the impact and lifespan of the resources they receive, fostering self-sufficiency and lasting capability.
The organization’s domestic work has underscored the nuanced differences in healthcare needs between American and international settings, particularly in the realm of maternal care. While the overarching goal of ensuring safe childbirth is universal, the specific interventions required are highly context-dependent. Internationally, a common request is for “clean birthing kits,” which contain essential sterile supplies to facilitate safe deliveries at home, a critical need in regions with limited access to clinical facilities. In the United States, however, this is not a viable or requested solution, as the healthcare system is structured differently. Instead, the domestic focus has centered on preventing complications within the clinical setting through the provision of monitoring tools like blood pressure cuffs for pre-eclampsia screening and pulse oximeters. This distinction highlighted how MedShare had successfully adapted its support to align with the unique systems, patient expectations, and standards of care present in different environments, proving its model was both powerful and flexible.
