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Audit of Indian Health Service's Coordination of National and Regional Supply Service Center Operations to Distribute Supplies to Facilities

The Indian Health Service (IHS) provides a comprehensive health service delivery system for approximately 2.6 million American Indians and Alaska Natives who belong to 574 federally recognized Tribes in 37 States. IHS has a decentralized management structure that consists of two major components: headquarters offices in Rockville, Maryland, and 12 area offices.

IHS's National Supply Service Center (NSSC) serves as the distribution warehouse and supply distribution management center for IHS by providing supply support services and medical supplies to IHS Federal and Tribal Hospitals, Tribal health programs, and Urban Indian Organization health care centers in all 12 IHS areas. The NSSC Director reports to the Area Director of the Oklahoma City Area. Within IHS, but separate from NSSC, the Navajo Area operates a Regional Supply Service Center (RSSC), located in Gallup, New Mexico. The RSSC Director reports to the Area Director of the Navajo Area and has no reporting relationship to NSSC. RSSC provides medical supplies to the Navajo, Albuquerque, and Phoenix IHS areas. Facilities in these three areas can order and receive supplies from both NSSC and RSSC. In a related audit, we are examining NSSC's distribution of medical supplies and equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our objective is to determine whether IHS coordinated NSSC and RSSC operations to distribute supplies to facilities in an effective manner from January 1, 2019, through March 31, 2022.

Announced or Revised Agency Title Component Report Number(s) Expected Issue Date (FY)
Completed Indian Health Service Audit of Indian Health Service's Coordination of National and Regional Supply Service Center Operations to Distribute Supplies to Facilities Office of Audit Services WA-22-0002 (W-00-22-59471);
A-07-22-04131		 2025