Each year, hospitals in the U.S. generate 5.9 million tons of medical waste.1 Practice Greenhealth estimates that 29 pounds of waste is generated per staffed bed per day.2

Cardinal Health plans to build a 574,670-square-foot medical distribution center in Columbus, Ohio.

A combination of international and domestic events in recent weeks have the potential to disupt the U.S. supply chain. 

National and global factors like the Russia-Ukraine war are complicating supply chain issues in the U.S., with health systems expecting to see price hikes in certain medical supplies for which raw materials are sourced in Russia. 

Here are 10 health systems that have posted job listings for supply chain expertise in the last week: 

Millions of chronically ill patients are struggling to get medical supplies amid global shortages exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, The New York Times reported March 29. 

China's lockdown of Shanghai to curb a COVID-19 outbreak has exporters bracing for delays from the supply chain disruptions, The Wall Street Journal reported March 28.

The potential strike of 22,000 dockworkers along the nation's West Coast could aggravate current supply shortages and lead to higher prices for consumer goods, The New York Times reported March 28. 

The U.S. is halting distribution of sotrovimab, a COVID-19 antibody made by GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology, in regions where the omicron subvariant BA.2 has become dominant in response to data suggesting the treatment is ineffective against the strain. 

Whether your facility is looking to cut costs or increase efficiency, data analytics can help you achieve your supply chain goals. Utilizing data in your supply chain strategies can help you take control of your supply chain while maintaining quality patient care.

A congressional oversight subcommittee has opened an investigation into the FDA's regulation of the HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device, which was implanted into thousands of Americans after the agency identified safety issues with the heart pump, ProPublica reported March 23. 

As the Russia-Ukraine war persists, U.S. healthcare systems are already seeing the effects of the conflict through increased prices for oil and natural gas and Ukrainian refugees seeking treatment. 

U.S. Pharmacopeia, an independent scientific organization, released a medicine supply map aiming to build visibility and identify which pharmaceutical ingredients are vulnerable to shortages, the organization said March 16. 

Here are 10 health systems that have posted job listings for supply chain expertise in the last week: 

What's the best distribution strategy for your organization? What are the key considerations when trying to identify the optimal distribution strategy?

The FDA on March 21 shared recommendations for healthcare organizations to conserve prefilled 0.9 percent sodium chloride intravenous lock/flush syringes amid a national shortage. 

The FDA would be allowed to collect at least $1.78 billion in user fees over five years under a reauthorization of the medical device user fee program, according to a series of recommendations from the agency and representatives from the medical device industry released March 22. 

To help ease chronic blood shortages in the U.S., hospitals should partner with blood centers to increase donations and work with centers to host blood drives, America's Blood Centers said in a March bulletin. 

States will see a significant reduction in shipments of COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments from the federal government beginning March 21 as the White House's request for $15.6 billion in pandemic funding stalls in Congress, ABC News reported. 

The FDA is returning to normal facility inspection operations, which were significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a March 21 report from The New York Times.