Supply Chain

Global Health Exchange released its annual list of the 50 best healthcare supply chains in North America April 14. This year, GHX is honoring 51 hospitals and health systems due to a tie. 

Drugmakers around the world are facing a shortage of large plastic growbags used in part of the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing process, The Guardian reported. 

Intermountain Healthcare, a 25-hospital system based in Salt Lake City, has signed a 10-year membership agreement with group purchasing organization Vizient, the companies said April 12. 

The FDA is urging hospitals to transition from crisis capacity measures such as decontaminating and reusing  N95 masks, citing an increased domestic supply. 

One of the biggest learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic has been the need for transparency of data.

3M has filed a lawsuit against Tarpon Springs, Fla.-based MM Medical Supply, claiming trademark infringement and fraud for allegedly selling fake N95 masks to a health system in Massachusetts, The Hill reported April 9. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has not only boosted the amount of supplies in the Strategic National Stockpile, but has changed the way it functions, KMGH, an ABC affiliate in Denver, reported April 8. 

Public health experts are raising concerns over medical waste generated by COVID-19 prevention and treatment, warning the waste could have long-term public health consequences, the Burlington (Vt.) Free Press reported April 8. 

Some health systems aren't vaccinating inpatients, even if they're sick with something other than COVID-19, while their supplies are strained, Minali Nigam, MD, an internal medicine resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, wrote for CNN. 

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