Supply Chain

Managing supplies is a crucial part of moving medical products from the manufacturer to patient’s bedside. Efficient supply chains can reduce healthcare costs and make medical devices more affordable for patients and health systems. This news page includes content on supply shortages, inventory management, and procurement practices.

Data, analytics top priorities for supply chain leaders in 2018

In a survey conducted by Global Healthcare Exchange, some of the top providers for supply chain performance said making better use of data would be their No. 1 priority this year, either through expanded analytics or standardizing their data process across the organization.

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Data can make the difference in cutting waste from the supply chain

When Indiana’s Goshen Health decided to de-affiliate from Indiana University Health in 2016, it knew its supply costs were going to increase for its 122-bed hospital, cancer center and 27 physician practice locations, according to chief financial officer Amy Floria. That meant waste in the supply chain had to be cut out—like the 80 percent of hospital supplies which had sat untouched on a shelf for two years.

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Group purchasing cuts costs, optimizes supply chain

A report from the Healthcare Supply Chain Association (HSCA) said the group purchasing organizations (GPOs) it represents help cut supply chain costs by an average of 15 percent and reduce drug spending by 25 percent.

Mylan CEO blames ‘opaque’ pharma supply chain, pricing for EpiPen hikes

Members of Congress don’t believe Mylan CEO Heather Bresch’s claim that the company makes only $50 profit per EpiPen, an autoinjector for allergic reactions which has shot up 400 percent in price since Mylan started selling it.

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13 things HHS wants doctors and patients to know about Zika

As local Zika transmissions continue to pop up in the U.S., HHS is ramping up efforts to combat the virus through awareness of its symptoms, its effects and how to stop its spread. Various agencies under the HHS umbrella held a Twitter Q&A surrounding these topics Aug. 30 using the hashtag #AtoZika. 

Texas' maternal mortality rate explodes among overall U.S. increase

Based on new and re-analyzed data, it seems that maternal mortality rates jumped up almost 27 percent between 2000 and 2014 in the U.S, according to a new study published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology. That trend moved opposite to the trend of declining maternal mortality rates in the rest of the world and was directly opposed to the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of a 75 percent reduction in maternal mortality by 2015. It means the U.S. has one of the worst maternal mortality rates among developed countries. 

Exposure to microbes, like those in Amish homes, could protect against asthma

Traditional farming lifestyles, such as those held by the Amish in the U.S., can mitigate asthma and allergy risk factors, according to a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine. 

Around the web

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals. 

As debate simmers over how best to regulate AI, experts continue to offer guidance on where to start, how to proceed and what to emphasize. A new resource models its recommendations on what its authors call the “SETO Loop.”