Editor's Note Released April 9 by the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM) and KPMG LLP,  the KPMG Supply Chain Stability Index reveals an overall improvement in supply chain stability throughout 2023. However, points of weakness persist. According to the index, factors preventing a complete return to pre-pandemic normalcy include the…

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From integrating new technology to navigating shifts in care delivery and mitigating burnout, the most pressing challenges for healthcare organizations tend to be multifaceted problems that demand multifaceted solutions. For evidence of that, look no further than the Top 10 Patient Safety Concerns 2024 list from ECRI. For every risk…

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Editor's Note The collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge last Tuesday morning could impact the shipment of medical supplies, according to healthcare leaders quoted in a March 17 report in Chief Healthcare Executive. “Currently, any healthcare provider using a distributor in the area will likely face some impact, including…

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Editor’s Note ECRI and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) every year compiles and unveils a list of the top 10 patient safety concerns affecting the healthcare industry. The report highlights issues what healthcare leaders should focus on within their own organizations and opportunities to address preventable harm. The…

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Editor's Note Addressing pressure on margins, inconsistent processes, and staffing issues are top priorities for healthcare supply chain leaders recently surveyed by symplr, a provider of enterprise healthcare operations software. Published February 27, the State of Healthcare Supply Chain Survey offers insight from nearly 100 VPs of Supply Chain, Chief…

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There is movement happening in the world of surgical gowns. It is driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought new focus to the need for adequate stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE)—and for PPE that works as intended. Staff need to know their gowns incorporate the latest technology…

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Editor's Note “Can cost and resiliency co-exist?” Michael Schiller, CMRP, executive director (interim) of the Association for Healthcare Resources and Materials Management—a professional membership group of the American Hospital Association—asked this session’s audience on the last day of the OR Business Management Conference. “They can co-exist,” he said, “but resiliency…

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Editor's Note The US government's sale of the Federal Helium Reserve, a large underground helium stockpile in Amarillo, Texas, has raised concerns about the supply of helium for critical healthcare applications, especially MRI machines, NBC News reported January 25. The Federal Helium Reserve reportedly provides up to 30% of the…

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Editor's Note The Biden Administration will issue a “Presidential Determination” that will expand the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in order to boost the domestic supply chain for essential medicines, a November 27 HHS press release reports.  The measure will include new investment in domestic…

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Editor's Note Across the US, drug shortages are on the rise, including for chemotherapy drugs, antibiotics, and weight-loss drugs, PBS News November 5 reports. This trend is worrisome for many reasons, experts say, with the top-pressing concern being high-risk patients having to switch to less effective or more aggressive regimens…

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