Only 5 percent of hospital administrators identify clinical integration as a top priority for their supply chain department, meaning many hospitals may be missing out on key savings opportunities, according to a recent survey from Nexera and Acurity.

FluMist, the alternative to the injectable flu shot, will likely be in short supply this year, according to STAT. 

New anti-kickback rules proposed by HHS Oct. 9 don't yet include protections for medical devicemakers and drugmakers, according to Bloomberg Law. 

Ten hospitals and health systems posted job listings seeking supply chain expertise in the last week:

IBM has launched a new supply chain suite that uses Watson Artificial Intelligence and blockchain to help companies make their supply chains smarter and more efficient, according to an Oct. 8 news release.

Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Sanford Health is looking into the use of drones for the delivery of medical specimens, small supplies and drugs, according to The Duluth News Tribune. 

San Francisco-based technology developer Chronicled has added healthcare consulting company Cumberland to its blockchain-powered network to support supply chain management.

ICU Medical is recalling some lots of its Plum and Sapphire Microbore infusion sets due to the potential for fluid leaks.

National Healthcare Supply Chain Week, sponsored by the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management, recognizes supply chain professionals who work to improve patient care while reducing costs for their organization. This year, the celebration takes place Oct. 6-12.

Medical devicemaker BD will shut down its Lutonix technology center in New Hope, Minn., next year, according to the Star Tribune.

Zimmer Biomet is recalling some legacy Biomet surgical products that were cleaned by a third-party supplier in a process the devicemaker said "was not up to its quality standards."

Ten hospitals and health systems have posted job listings seeking supply chain expertise in the last week:

Zimmer Biomet will open a new facility in Olive Branch, Miss.

A survey conducted by Global Healthcare Exchange identified two key supply chain priorities that will accelerate the shift to value-based care in 2020.

To stay ahead of the curve, health systems should view their supply chains through the lens of their customers, according to Sean Halligan, senior vice president of supply chain at Cardinal health.

Supply chain hiccups in healthcare can be more consequential than supply chain issues in other industries. Patient care is time sensitive and if providers don't have access to the necessary medications and products, care outcomes can suffer.

United Parcel Service's Flight Forward subsidiary has won Federal Aviation Administration approval to set up a fleet of drones to deliver healthcare supplies to hospitals, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Lawmakers from Arizona and New York sent two separate letters to Congress asking them to repeal or further delay a suspension of a 2.3 percent medical device tax.

The FDA will hold a panel next month in an effort to better evaluate the safety of medical device implants.