As the shift to value-based care continues, health systems are launching quality, cost-saving and patient satisfaction initiatives to minimize the effects of reimbursement changes. Many of these programs fall on the shoulders of already-strained pharmacy staff, according to Kelly Morrison, director of remote and retail pharmacy services for Cardinal Health.

"Although health systems have always focused on key areas — quality, cost savings, patient satisfaction — with the shift to value-based care, additional initiatives are now critical in order to minimize the impact of reimbursement changes," said Kelly Morrison, director of remote and retail pharmacy services for Cardinal Health.

A new smartphone app that alerts patients and providers of FDA medical devices recalls was launched this week.

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

Louisiana hospitals are preparing for Tropical Storm Barry's landfall by stocking supplies and generator fuel, according to The Daily Advertiser. 

Earlier this year I had the privilege of traveling to San Francisco as a member of Ascension Leadership Academy, a program where senior leaders develop competencies that strengthen strategic capabilities, test new concepts, and launch innovative initiatives. During this trip, my colleagues and I traveled to incubators and participated in immersion experiences where technology startups connected with the world's largest organizations for mutual learning and worked together to create common sense, innovative solutions.

After a busy Independence Day week, the American Red Cross issued an emergency call for blood donors. 

Amazon's entry into the healthcare supply chain — namely its push to distribute medical supplies and equipment  — has lost momentum, according to Bloomberg, which cited a survey conducted by investment banking company UBS Group.

James Stephen Mills, the co-founder and former CEO of Medline Industries, died July 1 at age 82. 

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

Premier subsidiary ProvideGx is now supplying cysteine hydrochloride injection, an intravenous nutrition drug for pediatric and adult patients that has been in short supply since 2015. 

A labor union representing nurses at Hahnemann University Hospital, which will be shuttered in September, warned June 29 that the hospital lacks basic supplies to properly treat patients. 

Below are five of the top supply chain stories published by Becker's Hospital Review in June, beginning with the most popular:

Medtronic is recalling certain MiniMed insulin pumps due to cybersecurity concerns, the FDA  warned patients and healthcare providers June 27.

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

Standardization is typically thought of as a good thing among hospital and health system leaders. By standardizing purchasing and other processing, hospitals can reduce costs and increase optimizations. However, for some supplies in hospitals, excess standardization can lead to major risks.

In the past, health system leaders were almost solely concerned with delivering clinical excellence to patients. Operating efficiency wasn't as essential to success as it is now — striking the right balance between clinical excellence and operating efficiency has become table stakes for today's health systems.

Teleflex has issued a global recall of several lots of its Hudson RCI Sheridan Endotracheal Tubes after receiving four reports of death and additional reports of serious injury, according to a notice on the FDA's website. 

In a survey, 42 percent of surgeons and nurses said, “Saving money helps all of us.”