Supply Chain

Health officials in Utah are urging the public to donate metal crutches, wheelchairs, walkers and canes amid an aluminum shortage that has depleted hospitals of their supply of mobility-assist equipment, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. 

The National Institutes of Health said Oct. 25 it is investing $70 million to bring more at-home COVID-19 tests to market. 

A CNN investigation released Oct. 25 found that tens of millions of fake, secondhand nitrile gloves have been imported to the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Most health systems are aware that achieving supply chain excellence results in positive implications for their facility. While the outcome of supply chain optimization is clear, the process of achieving it can often be vague.

Medline, the largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical supplies in the U.S., has made a number of strategic investments and deals this year. Here are six, as reported by Becker's Hospital Review: 

HHS said Oct. 22 it has invested more than half a billion dollars to boost manufacturing of supplies needed to increase domestic COVID-19 testing. 

Hospitals in Montana are facing an unprecedented surge in demand for oxygen concentrators, and one health system is asking patients to return their used devices to vendors to combat shortages, Montana Public Radio reported Oct. 21. 

Ten health systems have posted job listings for supply chain expertise in the last week:

Federal authorities are investigating several shipments of fake 3M N95 masks sent to Cleveland Clinic during the pandmeic, cleveland.com reported Oct. 20. 

Ninety-nine percent of U.S. hospitals and health systems surveyed by healthcare consultant Kaufman Hall in 2021 reported challenges in supply procurement, including shortages of key items and significant price increases.