Supply Chain

Medtronic recalled a brain aneurysm stent device Sept. 20 because of a risk of malfunction that has been linked to 10 serious injuries and two deaths. 

As the 2020-21 flu season quickly approaches, concerns about concurrent circulation of influenza and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has led to increased focus on flu season supply needs.

Amid a change in how HHS distributes COVID-19 monoclonal antibody drugs, hospitals in Alabama and Texas — both states that are seeing high numbers of COVID-19 cases — say they're dealing with shortages of the critical treatment. 

Supply chain uncertainties and disruptions may last into 2023, RoxAnne Thomas, a logistics manager at Gerber Plumbing Fixtures, told Bloomberg Sept. 15. 

The FDA updated its COVID-19 respirator guidance this week to expand their availability.

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

A West Virginia hospital had to divert patients from both its emergency room and hospital Sept. 14 due to a low supply of oxygen, a spokesperson confirmed to Becker's.

A federal investigation found that the New Orleans VA Medical Center overspent $1.85 million for surgical supplies and that employees violated supply chain management policies, according to a report released Sept. 14. 

Many facilities use demand from prior years as a baseline to project what to expect in the future.

An order from President Joe Biden for most large U.S. companies to mandate workers either get vaccinated or get weekly tests is putting a strain on the country's supply of rapid COVID-19 tests, according to The Wall Street Journal.